Franck
Kessie, who had scored from the spot four minutes from the end of normal time,
converted the winning penalty to seal an extraordinary victory for the hosts,
who redeemed themselves after a humiliating group-stage display which
culminated in two defeats.
Senegal had
made a dream start when Habib Diallo struck in the fourth minute from a Sadio
Mane cross.
The
Elephants' quarter-final on Saturday (17:00 GMT) will pit them against Mali or
Burkina Faso, who play their last-16 tie in Korhogo on Tuesday (17:00 GMT).
Senegal's
loss means no reigning champion has made it beyond the first knockout round of
a Cup of Nations since Egypt won a third consecutive title in 2010.
Ivory Coast,
who squeezed into the last 16 as one of the best third-placed teams from the
group phase, grew into the match against The Teranga Lions, despite going
behind so early.
Diallo, a
forward for Saudi Pro League club Al Shabab, profited when Mane swung in an
impeccable delivery from the left, bringing the ball down with his chest and
firing it into the roof of the net to open the scoring.
Mane was
lucky to escape with a caution for a rash challenge five minutes later on
Nottingham Forest midfielder Ibrahim Sangare, who had to be stretchered off for
treatment before coming back on.
The
Elephants began to settle into the game after such a frenetic start, enjoying
far more of the first-half possession and pushing for an equaliser, with Seko
Fofana and Oumar Diakite both looking lively.
The 2015
champions trailed at half-time despite controlling play in a much-improved
display on their
sorry showing against Equatorial Guinea a week earlier, when they
suffered their heaviest ever home defeat in a 4-0 trouncing.
Senegal
started the second half as they had the first, Ismaila Sarr's shot across goal
forcing a fingertip save from the diving Yahia Fofana.
Winger Sarr
was again at the heart of the action when he felt he had been brought down in
the box by Odilon Kossounou, with a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) check
deciding there was not enough contact for a penalty to be given.
Ivory
Coast's interim coach Emerse Fae, an emergency appointment following the
dismissal of Jean-Louis Gasset last week, brought on forward
Sebastian Haller and midfielder Frank Kessie - and the latter made an immediate
impact, having a header saved by Edouard Mendy before failing to capitalise on
the rebound.
Another
substitute, former Arsenal man Nicolas Pepe, also brought a new energy to the
hosts, running in behind on two occasions, only to shoot straight at Mendy.
And Pepe
proved instrumental in Ivory Coast's equaliser when he was brought down by
Mendy in the box.
Gabonese
referee Pierre Atcho initially waved off appeals for a penalty, much to the
frustration of the home fans and players.
VAR sent
Atcho to the monitor - with Senegal coach Aliou Cisse and one of his assistants
picking up a yellow card for their protestations.
Atcho
reversed his decision, awarding a spot-kick to Ivory Coast which Kessie duly
despatched to Mendy's left, sending the Charles Konan Banny de Yamoussoukro
Stadium into raptures.
After an
absorbing 90 minutes, the first period of extra-time also proved eventful.
Ivory Coast,
who had restored their self-respect by pushing the holders, saw two glorious
chances go awry, Brighton winger Simon Adringa and Forest's Serge Aurier both
missing the target.
At the other
end, Mane latched onto a cross to force an instinctive save from Fofana.
Mane and
Pepe were again involved in half-chances in the second period of extra-time but
no winner could be found, with Haller, who has been on the comeback trail
following an injury, also missing when given a sniff of goal during the dying
seconds.
It was left
to a penalty shootout to determine whether Senegal - the only side at this
Nations Cup to have won all three of their group games - or Ivory Coast, who
had never lost three matches in a row at a single tournament, would progress to
the quarter-finals.
Kalidou
Koulibaly and Pape Matar Sarr both scored their penalties, with Nicolas Pepe
and Christian Kouame matching their opponents.
But a miss
from Moussa Niakhate handed Ivory Coast the advantage. Sebastien Haller and
captain Serge Aurier then scored theirs as much of the crowd willed them on.
Bamba Dieng
and then Mane kept the shootout alive for Senegal with Mane blasting his finish
past Fofana.
But up
stepped Kessie to deliver the ultimate redemption for the host nation, who
march on to the quarter-finals.
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