Ivory Coast coach Emerse Fae expressed sheer disbelief at his team’s journey to the Africa Cup of Nations final, likening it to a dream, after the tournament hosts secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo in Wednesday’s semi-final clash.
Sebastien Haller’s 65th-minute strike at the Ebimpe Olympic Stadium sealed Ivory Coast’s place in Sunday’s final against Nigeria, marking a remarkable turnaround for the Elephants.
Reflecting on their tumultuous journey, Fae remarked, “We are happy, we’re really moved. It’s like a dream, especially considering our defeat against Equatorial Guinea just two weeks ago.”
The defeat against Equatorial Guinea, a 4-0 loss at the same stadium, seemed to spell doom for Ivory Coast’s campaign. However, they managed to scrape through to the knockout stage as one of the four best third-placed teams, thanks to Morocco’s victory over Zambia.
Following the Equatorial Guinea debacle, coach Jean-Louis Gasset was sacked, and Fae, previously an assistant, took over as interim coach. Under his leadership, Ivory Coast overcame defending champions Senegal in the last 16, then staged a dramatic comeback victory against Mali in the quarter-finals, despite playing with ten men for most of the match.
Midfielder Franck Kessie, named man of the match against DR Congo, emphasized the importance of belief and resilience in football. “As long as you still have a chance, you need to keep believing,” he said. “After the Morocco result, we knew we had qualified, and that changed everything. It gave us the strength we needed.”
Sunday’s final will see Ivory Coast facing Nigeria, a rematch of their group stage encounter which Nigeria won 1-0 on January 18.
Meanwhile, DR Congo will contend for third place in a play-off against South Africa on Saturday in Abidjan. Despite their disappointment, DR Congo’s French coach, Sebastien Desabre, praised his team’s efforts and resilience throughout the tournament, expressing optimism for their future endeavors.
“The spirit in the team is extraordinary,” Desabre noted. “We are competitors, and while we are disappointed, we will regroup quickly to vie for a medal.”
For DR Congo, the tournament may not have ended as they hoped, but their spirited performance has left a positive mark, setting the stage for future successes.
Reported By AFP.
