Ivory Coast kick off Cup of Nations with 2-0 win over Guinea Bissau

ABIDJAN :Ivory Coast's Seko Fofana and Jean-Philippe Krasso scored in each half as the hosts completed a 2-0 Group A victory over Guinea Bissau in the Africa Cup of Nations opening game played in energy-sapping humidity on Saturday.

Fofana gave his side a fourth minute lead with a superb shot from the edge of the box before Krasso made up for an earlier miss when he acrobatically netted a second just before the hour.

The Ivorians were always favourites against a Guinea Bissau team who have now not won any of their 10 Cup of Nations finals matches but the hosts, with several players missing through injury, will be pleased to have started their campaign on a positive note in front of an expectant 60,000 crowd.

Twice winners Ivory Coast next play on Thursday when they face Nigeria in the biggest match-up in the group, while Guinea-Bissau take on Equatorial Guinea on the same day. The games will again be played at Abidjan's Alassane Ouattara Stadium.

It was a far from perfect performance from the hosts and Guinea Bissau were left to rue several missed opportunities, but Ivory Coast coach Jean-Louis Gasset will know the three points are all that matters at this early stage of the tournament.

The Frenchman's side got a dream start when Fofana curled his shot into the top corner from 20 metres, settling the nerves of the home players and their supporters.

But after the Ivorians' fast start, Guinea Bissau settled into the contest and created a few chances themselves.

Forward Mama Balde went for a spectacular bicycle kick when he might have opted for a header before he had an excellent chance to equalise with a clear run on goal but his shot was weak and easily saved by Yahia Fofana.

Seko Fofana came close to a second goal when his