Ivory Coast star Gervinho has apologised after being sent off in his side's 1-1 Africa Cup of Nations draw with Guinea in Malabo on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, the 27-year-old took to Twitter to say: "I would like to apologise to the Ivorian nation, to my team-mates, to the supporters and to the organisers of the CAN for this angry gesture which is totally out of character and evidently has no place on a football pitch."

Gervinho was shown a straight red card in the second half of the Group D game for hitting out at Guinea's Naby Keita.

Without him, Herve Renard's side came from a goal down to earn a point thanks to a strike from substitute Seydou Doumbia.

The Roma forward is waiting to discover the length of ban that lies in store, although he is certain to sit out the Elephants' second group game against Mali on Saturday.