Nottingham Forest’s Cheikhou Kouyate carries crying teammate off pitch like a baby at AFCON

Defending champions Senegal’s defeat to crisis hosts Ivory Coast was so shocking that it reduced grown men to crying heaps.

Favourites to win back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations titles, Senegal were handed an Ivorian side in the midst of disaster, but still crashed out in the last 16.

Ivory Coast had sacked their manager during an appalling group stage campaign, but managed to sneak through to the knockouts by the skin of their teeth.

With it all to do against the tournament’s best team, Ivory Coast somehow pulled it off at their home tournament, winning on penalties after a late revival.

The script was followed when Habib Diallo smashed home a Sadio Mane cross for a fourth minute Senegal opener, but they couldn’t add to it, and a whole 82 minutes later, Franck Kessie slotted in from the spot thanks to the most blatant of penalty calls.

Soon after, the former AC Milan and Barcelona midfielder repeated his heroics in the shoot-out, dinking past Edouard Mendy for a huge upset, winning 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

Nottingham Forest’s Moussa Niakhate was the only man to miss in the shoot-out, but it was instead his teammate who made headlines shortly after.

Cheikhou Kouyate has only featured in 19 minutes of this year’s AFCON, having taken some time out due to the tragic death of his father.

Despite going through an incredibly tough time, he still showed his leadership post-match with a distraught Lamine Camara.

Metz midfielder Camara was taken off by Aliou Cisse shortly after the 1-1 goal, and was left beyond distraught by what followed.

Fan footage post-match showed the 20-year-old with a towel over his head unable to contain his emotions over the defeat.

Kouyate, 14 years his elder, approached the youngster to console him, and after realising what a state the no.25 was in, he picked him up and carried him down the tunnel like a baby.

Camara wasn’t the only one who struggled to come to terms with the early exit, with Krepin Diatta making some inflammatory comments in the mixed-zone after the game.

“You are corrupt,” the Monaco right back said towards CAF officials. “You killed us, you are corrupt. Keep your African Cup.”

Despite Senegal's shock, there was jubilation for host nation Ivory Coast, who could produce one of the all-time great AFCON stories if they go on to win despite earlier chaos.

Next up in the quarter-finals will be the winner of Mali vs Burkina Faso, an opponent the Ivorians may well back themselves to beat.