# 2015 Africa Cup of Nations Group D

Group D of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations was played from 20 January until 28 January in Equatorial Guinea. The group consisted of Ivory Coast, Mali, Cameroon, and Guinea. Ivory Coast and Guinea advanced as group winners and runners-up respectively, while Mali and Cameroon were eliminated.

## Teams

| Draw position | Team | Method of qualification | Date of qualification | Finals appearance | Last appearance | Previous best performance | CAF Rankings Points | FIFA Rankings Start of event |
| D1 | Ivory Coast | Group D runners-up | 19 November 2014 | 21st | 2013 | Winners (1992) | 44 | 28 |
| D2 | Mali | Group B runners-up | 19 November 2014 | 9th | 2013 | Runners-up (1972) | 38 | 49 |
| D3 | Cameroon | Group D winners | 15 November 2014 | 17th | 2010 | Winners (1984, 1988, 2000, 2002) | 23.5 | 42 |
| D4 | Guinea | Group E runners-up | 19 November 2014 | 11th | 2012 | Runners-up (1976) | 19 | 39 |

### Notes

* ↑ The CAF rankings were used for seeding for the final draw.

## Standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Ivory Coast | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 5 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | Guinea | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 3 | Mali | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | |
| 4 | Cameroon | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 2 | |
* 1 2 Guinea and Mali were tied on head-to-head record, overall goal difference, and overall goals scored. A drawing of lots took place on 29 January 2015, 16:00 local time at the Hilton Malabo. Guinea selected the lot for 2nd place and advanced to the quarter-finals as the group runner-up.
In the quarter-finals:
* Ivory Coast advanced to play Algeria (runner-up of Group C).
* Guinea advanced to play Ghana (winner of Group C).

## Matches

All times local, WAT (UTC+1).

### Ivory Coast vs Guinea

Guinea took the lead in the 36th minute when Mohamed Yattara smashed home a headed clearance from the Ivory Coast defence. Gervinho was sent off in the 58th minute for hitting Naby Keïta in the face, but the 10-men Ivory Coast equalized in the 72nd minute, as Wilfried Bony controlled the ball on his chest and passed to Seydou Doumbia to score.
| Ivory Coast | Guinea |
| GK | 16 | Sylvain Gbohouo |
| RB | 17 | Serge Aurier | 40' |
| CB | 21 | Eric Bailly |
| CB | 4 | Kolo Touré |
| LB | 22 | Wilfried Kanon |
| CM | 19 | Yaya Touré (c) | | 86' |
| CM | 9 | Cheick Tioté | 62' |
| RW | 10 | Gervinho | 58' |
| AM | 8 | Salomon Kalou | | 65' |
| LW | 20 | Serey Dié | 54' | 65' |
| CF | 12 | Wilfried Bony |
| Substitutions: ||
| DF | 5 | Siaka Tiéné | | 65' |
| FW | 7 | Seydou Doumbia | | 65' |
| MF | 6 | Cheick Doukouré | | 86' |
| Manager: ||
| Hervé Renard ||
| GK | 1 | Naby Yattara |
| RB | 20 | Baissama Sankoh |
| CB | 17 | Boubacar Fofana |
| CB | 10 | Kévin Constant |
| LB | 5 | Fodé Camara |
| CM | 4 | Florentin Pogba |
| CM | 3 | Issiaga Sylla |
| RW | 15 | Naby Keïta |
| AM | 8 | Ibrahima Traoré (c) |
| LW | 12 | Ibrahima Conté |
| CF | 2 | Mohamed Yattara | 71' |
| Substitutions: ||
| FW | 7 | Abdoul Camara | 71' |
| Manager: ||
| Michel Dussuyer ||
* Man of the Match:
* Ibrahima Traoré (Guinea)
* Assistant referees:
* Abdelhak Etchiali (Algeria)
* Yahaya Mahamadou (Niger)
* Fourth official:
* Joaquin Esono Eyang (Equatorial Guinea)

### Mali vs Cameroon

Mali took the lead in the 71st minute as Molla Wagué's flick-on from a free kick allowed Sambou Yatabaré to score at the far post. Cameroon equalized in the 84th minute, after Ambroise Oyongo controlled Raoul Loé's lofted pass to score from close range.
| Mali | Cameroon |
| GK | 16 | Soumbeïla Diakité |
| RB | 15 | Drissa Diakité |
| CB | 23 | Molla Wagué |
| CB | 4 | Salif Coulibaly |
| LB | 3 | Adama Tamboura |
| DM | 8 | Yacouba Sylla |
| RM | 14 | Sambou Yatabaré | | 90+4' |
| CM | 17 | Mamoutou N'Diaye | 24' | 80' |
| CM | 12 | Seydou Keita (c) |
| LM | 10 | Bakary Sako |
| CF | 7 | Mustapha Yatabaré | | 86' |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 6 | Tongo Doumbia | | 80' |
| FW | 20 | Modibo Maïga | | 86' |
| MF | 21 | Abdou Traoré | | 90+4' |
| Manager: ||
| Henryk Kasperczak ||
| GK | 16 | Fabrice Ondoa |
| RB | 6 | Ambroise Oyongo |
| CB | 21 | Aurélien Chedjou |
| CB | 3 | Nicolas N'Koulou |
| LB | 12 | Henri Bedimo |
| CM | 18 | Eyong Enoh | 17' |
| CM | 4 | Raoul Loé |
| RW | 8 | Benjamin Moukandjo |
| AM | 13 | Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (c) |
| LW | 11 | Edgar Salli |
| CF | 10 | Vincent Aboubakar |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 20 | Franck Kom | 17' 78' |
| FW | 15 | Franck Etoundi | 78' |
| Manager: ||
| Volker Finke ||
* Man of the Match:
* Sambou Yatabaré (Mali)
* Assistant referees:
* Jerson dos Santos (Angola)
* Oamogetse Godisamang (Botswana)
* Fourth official:
* Joseph Odartei Lamptey (Ghana)

### Ivory Coast vs Mali

Mali took the lead in the 7th minute, as Bakary Sako scored home from Sambou Yatabaré's cross. Ivory Coast equalized in the 86th minute, when Serge Aurier passed to Max Gradel to score.
| Ivory Coast | Mali |
| GK | 16 | Sylvain Gbohouo |
| RB | 17 | Serge Aurier |
| CB | 22 | Wilfried Kanon | | 83' |
| CB | 4 | Kolo Touré |
| LB | 5 | Siaka Tiéné |
| CM | 14 | Ismaël Diomandé | | 39' |
| CM | 9 | Cheick Tioté | 82' |
| RW | 19 | Yaya Touré (c) |
| LW | 21 | Eric Bailly |
| CF | 12 | Wilfried Bony | | 84' |
| CF | 7 | Seydou Doumbia |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 15 | Max Gradel | | 39' |
| FW | 8 | Salomon Kalou | | 83' |
| FW | 11 | Tallo Gadji | | 84' |
| Manager: ||
| Hervé Renard ||
| GK | 16 | Soumbeïla Diakité | | 72' |
| RB | 15 | Drissa Diakité |
| CB | 23 | Molla Wagué |
| CB | 4 | Salif Coulibaly |
| LB | 3 | Adama Tamboura |
| DM | 17 | Mamoutou N'Diaye |
| CM | 12 | Seydou Keita (c) | 77' |
| CM | 8 | Yacouba Sylla | 59' |
| RW | 10 | Bakary Sako | | 78' |
| LW | 14 | Sambou Yatabaré | 88' |
| CF | 7 | Mustapha Yatabaré | | 90+1' |
| Substitutions: ||
| GK | 1 | Germain Berthé | | 72' |
| MF | 6 | Tongo Doumbia | | 78' |
| FW | 20 | Modibo Maïga | | 90+1' |
| Manager: ||
| Henryk Kasperczak ||
* Man of the Match:
* Seydou Keita (Mali)
* Assistant referees:
* Redouane Achik (Morocco)
* Malik Alidu Salifu (Ghana)
* Fourth official:
* Juste Ephrem Zio (Burkina Faso)

### Cameroon vs Guinea

Cameroon took the lead in the 13th minute, when Benjamin Moukandjo's corner evaded everybody and hit the goalkeeper to go into the net. Guinea equalized in the 42nd minute, as Ibrahima Traoré received a pass from Issiaga Sylla, and shot home from outside the penalty area.
| Cameroon | Guinea |
| GK | 16 | Fabrice Ondoa |
| RB | 6 | Ambroise Oyongo | 62' |
| CB | 21 | Aurélien Chedjou |
| CB | 3 | Nicolas N'Koulou |
| LB | 12 | Henri Bedimo |
| DM | 13 | Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting |
| RM | 8 | Benjamin Moukandjo |
| CM | 17 | Stéphane Mbia (c) |
| CM | 4 | Raoul Loé | 81' |
| LM | 11 | Edgar Salli |
| CF | 10 | Vincent Aboubakar | 77' |
| Substitutions: ||
| DF | 5 | Jérôme Guihoata | 62' |
| FW | 15 | Franck Etoundi | 77' |
| MF | 20 | Franck Kom | 81' |
| Manager: ||
| Volker Finke ||
| GK | 1 | Naby Yattara |
| RB | 20 | Baissama Sankoh |
| CB | 5 | Fodé Camara |
| CB | 4 | Florentin Pogba | | 45+3' |
| LB | 3 | Issiaga Sylla |
| DM | 17 | Boubacar Fofana | 32' |
| RM | 8 | Ibrahima Traoré (c) | | 90+3' |
| CM | 10 | Kévin Constant |
| CM | 12 | Ibrahima Conté |
| LM | 18 | Seydouba Soumah | | 66' |
| CF | 2 | Mohamed Yattara |
| Substitutions: ||
| DF | 13 | Abdoulaye Cissé | | 45+3' |
| MF | 15 | Naby Keïta | | 66' |
| FW | 19 | François Kamano | | 90+3' |
| Manager: ||
| Michel Dussuyer ||
* Man of the Match:
* Ibrahima Traoré (Guinea)
* Assistant referees:
* Abdelhak Etchiali (Algeria)
* Anouar Hmila (Tunisia)
* Fourth official:
* Eric Otogo-Castane (Gabon)

### Cameroon vs Ivory Coast

The only goal of the match was scored by Max Gradel in the 35th minute, as he stole the ball from the Cameroon defence, dribbled inside and shot home from outside the penalty area. The win sent Ivory Coast to the quarter-finals as group winners, while Cameroon were eliminated.
| Cameroon | Ivory Coast |
| GK | 16 | Fabrice Ondoa |
| RB | 5 | Jérôme Guihoata |
| CB | 21 | Aurélien Chedjou |
| CB | 3 | Nicolas N'Koulou |
| LB | 12 | Henri Bedimo |
| CM | 14 | Georges Mandjeck |
| CM | 8 | Benjamin Moukandjo | 67' |
| RW | 13 | Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting |
| AM | 17 | Stéphane Mbia (c) |
| LW | 15 | Franck Etoundi | 55' |
| CF | 11 | Edgar Salli | 46' |
| Substitutions: ||
| FW | 10 | Vincent Aboubakar | 46' |
| FW | 2 | Léonard Kweuke | 55' |
| MF | 7 | Clinton N'Jie | 67' |
| Manager: ||
| Volker Finke ||
| GK | 16 | Sylvain Gbohouo | 90+3' |
| RB | 17 | Serge Aurier |
| CB | 21 | Eric Bailly | 27' | 28' |
| CB | 4 | Kolo Touré |
| LB | 22 | Wilfried Kanon |
| CM | 20 | Serey Dié |
| CM | 19 | Yaya Touré (c) | 32' | 82' |
| RW | 15 | Max Gradel |
| AM | 7 | Seydou Doumbia | | 60' |
| LW | 5 | Siaka Tiéné |
| CF | 12 | Wilfried Bony |
| Substitutions: ||
| DF | 2 | Ousmane Viera | | 28' |
| FW | 11 | Tallo Gadji | | 60' |
| MF | 6 | Cheick Doukouré | | 82' |
| Manager: ||
| Hervé Renard ||
* Man of the Match:
* Max Gradel (Ivory Coast)
* Assistant referees:
* Abdelhak Etchiali (Algeria)
* Jean-Claude Birumushahu (Burundi)
* Fourth official:
* Malang Diedhiou (Senegal)

### Guinea vs Mali

Guinea took the lead in the 15th minute with a penalty by Kévin Constant, which was awarded due to a handball by Salif Coulibaly. Mali then were awarded their own penalty three minutes later after Baissama Sankoh was penalised for handball, but Seydou Keita's penalty was easily saved. Mali equalized in the 47th minute, when Abdoulay Diaby crossed for Modibo Maïga to head home. The match finished in a 1–1 draw, the same scoreline as both Guinea and Mali's previous two matches, meaning that the two teams were tied on head-to-head record, overall goal difference, and overall goals scored. A drawing of lots were held the next day to decide which team qualify for the quarter-finals as group runner-up, which was won by Guinea (see below for details).
| Guinea | Mali |
| GK | 1 | Naby Yattara |
| RB | 13 | Abdoulaye Cissé |
| CB | 20 | Baissama Sankoh |
| CB | 5 | Fodé Camara |
| LB | 3 | Issiaga Sylla | 55' | 57' |
| DM | 15 | Naby Keïta |
| CM | 17 | Boubacar Fofana |
| CM | 10 | Kévin Constant | | 84' |
| RW | 8 | Ibrahima Traoré (c) | | 62' |
| LW | 12 | Ibrahima Conté |
| CF | 2 | Mohamed Yattara |
| Substitutions: ||
| DF | 23 | Djibril Tamsir Paye | | 57' |
| FW | 18 | Seydouba Soumah | | 62' |
| FW | 7 | Abdoul Camara | | 84' |
| Manager: ||
| Michel Dussuyer ||
| GK | 1 | Germain Berthé |
| RB | 15 | Drissa Diakité |
| CB | 23 | Molla Wagué |
| CB | 4 | Salif Coulibaly |
| LB | 3 | Adama Tamboura |
| DM | 17 | Mamoutou N'Diaye | | 90+1' |
| CM | 8 | Yacouba Sylla |
| CM | 12 | Seydou Keita (c) |
| RW | 18 | Abdoulay Diaby | 70' | 72' |
| LW | 20 | Modibo Maïga |
| CF | 7 | Mustapha Yatabaré | | 84' |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 10 | Bakary Sako | | 72' |
| MF | 14 | Sambou Yatabaré | | 84' |
| MF | 21 | Abdou Traoré | | 90+1' |
| Manager: ||
| Henryk Kasperczak ||
* Man of the Match:
* Modibo Maïga (Mali)
* Assistant referees:
* Anouar Hmila (Tunisia)
* Malik Alidu Salifu (Ghana)
* Fourth official:
* Mehd Abid Charef (Algeria)

## Drawing of lots

Guinea and Mali finished level on the second spot after the group stage, making the first drawing of lots needed at the tournament since 1988. Unlike some other international tournaments, 2015 Africa Cup of Nations tournament regulations would not use fair-play criteria or a penalty shoot-out after the teams met on the last match day to determine the final group ranking. Both head coaches have openly criticised the regulations.
The draw took place at 16:00 WAT (UTC+1) on 29 January 2015, at the Hilton Malabo. Representatives of each team drew a ball, one of which was numbered '2' and the other numbered '3'. Guinea drew the ball '2' and were placed as runners-up in the group, with Mali being third. As such, Guinea advanced to the quarter-finals and Mali were eliminated.