Ivory Coast Coach Fae Delighted by AFCON Final Berth

• Ivory Coast coach Emerse Fae celebrates team’s journey to Africa Cup of Nations final, overcoming challenges to reach showdown against Nigeria
• Fae emphasizes team’s resilience after setback, acknowledges turnaround from defeat to Equatorial Guinea, lauds players’ determination and character

Emerse Fae, the coach of Ivory Coast, expressed his delight at his team’s remarkable journey to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations, likening it to a dream come true. The Ivorian side secured their spot in the final after defeating the Democratic Republic of Congo 1-0 in Wednesday’s semifinal clash.

Sebastien Haller sealed the victory with the match’s lone goal in the 65th minute at the Ebimpe Olympic Stadium, setting up a showdown against Nigeria in Sunday’s final.

For Fae, the achievement is particularly special considering Ivory Coast’s challenging journey. Just weeks ago, they suffered a crushing 4-0 defeat to Equatorial Guinea in their final group-stage match, jeopardising their tournament hopes.

Reflecting on the turnaround, Fae remarked, “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.”

The defeat to Equatorial Guinea was a significant setback for Ivory Coast, but they overcame the odds and secured their place in the final. Fae emphasized the team’s resilience and determination, acknowledging the difficult path they had to traverse to reach this stage.

Following the defeat, former coach Jean-Louis Gasset was relieved of his duties, paving the way for Fae’s promotion from assistant to interim coach. Under his leadership, Ivory Coast displayed grit and character, defeating defending champions Senegal in the round of 16 and staging a comeback victory against Mali in the quarterfinals, despite being reduced to 10 men for most of the match.

Fae’s leadership has been instrumental in guiding Ivory Coast to the final, and the team will be looking to cap off their remarkable journey with a victory in the ultimate showdown against Nigeria.