In a stunning turn of events, Ivory Coast’s national football team, led by interim coach Emerse Fae, has secured a place in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final after defeating the Democratic Republic of Congo 1-0 in a tense last-four encounter on Wednesday.
The decisive goal came in the 65th minute when Sebastien Haller found the back of the net at the Ebimpe Olympic Stadium. The victory sets the stage for a highly anticipated final clash against Nigeria scheduled for Sunday.
The Elephants’ journey to the final has been nothing short of miraculous. Just two weeks ago, they suffered a devastating 4-0 defeat against Equatorial Guinea, their heaviest home loss ever, and were on the brink of elimination. However, Ivory Coast managed to qualify as the last of the four best third-placed teams, thanks to Morocco’s victory against Zambia in the final group game.
After the Equatorial Guinea debacle, head coach Jean-Louis Gasset was sacked, and Emerse Fae, who was previously an assistant coach, took over as interim coach. Under Fae’s leadership, Ivory Coast defeated defending champions Senegal in the last 16 on penalties and then overcame Mali in the quarter-finals despite playing most of the match with 10 men.
Reflecting on the team’s incredible journey, Fae expressed his joy, stating, “We are happy, we’re really moved. It’s like a dream, when you go back two weeks to the defeat here against Equatorial Guinea.”
Midfielder Franck Kessie, named the man of the match against DR Congo, emphasized the importance of belief in football, stating, “As long as you still have a five or 10 percent chance you need to keep believing, because that is what makes football beautiful.”
Sunday’s final will be a rematch of the group stage encounter between Ivory Coast and Nigeria, where the Super Eagles emerged victorious with a 1-0 scoreline.
On the other hand, DR Congo, despite their disappointment, will have a chance to claim the bronze medal in the third-place play-off against South Africa in Abidjan on Saturday. Coach Sebastien Desabre praised his team’s efforts, saying, “Even if we lost a game of football tonight, we did everything to try to win it. The spirit in the team is extraordinary.”
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