With much of the focus on tournament favorite's Ivory Coast, the underdogs Guinea were the side who made the better start in the opening Group D encounter, and The Elephants looked lethargic in possession, with no real energy about themselves. New £28m man Wilfried Bony went close as the fired just over before Gervinho forced a brilliant double save from Naby-Moussa.
It was the underdogs that took the lead after 38 minutes when Mohamed Yattara volleyed Guinea in-front into the roof of the net from Traore's dangerous cross. It got worse for Ivory Coast, as in the second-half Gervinho had a moment of madness and later embarrassment as he was shown a straight-red, dismissed for slapping Naby Keita and then failing to leave the pitch, his tournament may well be over, we will have to wait and see what punishment he will face. Traore was inches away from putting Guinea into a 2-0 lead as his shot rifled off of the crossbar.
It was fine margins for Guinea, as minutes later Bony controlled and played in substitute Seydou Doumbia who calmy slotted The Elephants level in the 72nd minute. That wasn't it for Bony, and he nearly won the game for Ivory Coast as he headed wide from Tiene's cross late on, both sides had to settle for a share of the spoils.
Ivory Coast: Gbohouo, Aurier, Kolo Toure, Bailly, Kanon, Die, Tiote, Yaya Toure, Kalou, Bony, Gervinho.
Subs: Sayouba, Viera, Roger, Tiene, Doukoure, Doumbia, Tallo, Akpa Akpro, Diomande, Gradel, Traore, Barry.
Guinea: Naby-Moussa Yattara, Issiaga Sylla, Fode Camara, Pogba, Sankoh, Fofana, Naby Keita, Constant, Conte, Traore, Mohamed Yattara.
Subs: Abdul Aziz Keita, Abdoul Camara, Landel, Idrissa Sylla, Cisse, Lanfia Camara, Kamano, Diarra, Paye, Aboubacar Camara.
Referee: Mehdi Abid Charef (Algeria)