Ivory Coast’s journey to the 2023 AFCON final has been characterized by resilience and unexpected twists. Commencing their campaign with successive defeats against Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea, the team faced an early setback and had to reorganise after the departure of Head Coach Jean-Louis Gasset. However, under the stewardship of local coach Emerse Fae, the team found new vigor and direction.Despite initial struggles, Fae’s leadership brought about a remarkable turnaround, guiding Les Elephants to the last 16 as one of the best third-placed teams. Fae’s emphasis on nurturing team chemistry emerged as a cornerstone of their success, as they overcame formidable opponents, including Senegal and Mali, en route to the semifinals.At the heart of Ivory Coast’s resurgence stands Emerse Fae, whose modesty shines through when asked about his coaching prowess. Refuting comparisons to the “Special One,” Fae humbly credits the team’s cohesion and collective effort for their achievements. “I am not any special,” he states, “I just do the basic things.””I haven’t invented anything so I am not any special. I have said from the onset that I have been lucky to know this entire unit for around 2 years now. We tried to focus on the building the team chemistry from day one and I think that is what has worked for us. The most important thing is to ensure there’s cohesion within the group.” he said. ##NAJAVA_MECA_7863387##Asked if he would be disappointed if he’s not appointed as the permanent manager if he wins the AFCON, Fae says winning the continental showpiece would be an enough reward. “I would have won the AFCON and to me that is the ultimate goal for now. We can discuss the future later but right mow we just want to win AFCON.” On facing Nigeria whom they lost to in the opening match of the AFCON, Fae says it will be a totally different game this time. Empty Seats, Frustrated Fans: The troublesome tale of AFCON 2023 ticketing“The fact that they beat us means nothing in the final game. It is a good thing that we know who we are meeting. We are preparing just like we have done for the other games – focusing on ourselves and minimizing mistakes.” From Testicular Cancer to AFCON Final: Sebastian Haller reflectsBorussia Dortmund striker Sebastian Haller agrees with the gaffer’s assessment. “We faced each other last time but this is another game and our approach will definitely be different. It is going to be a very tough game physically but we will try to exploit their weaknesses,” he said, “We have faced sterner tests in this AFCON and came out strongly especially after that huge loss to Equatorial Guinea. We don’t have much to lose now, we will just give it our best shot because I believe God gave us a second chance for a reason. We are now stronger as a unit hence the good performance,” “Our mindset has changed and the objective (winning AFCON at home) is much greater than our individual goals – we are doing this for our country and all efforts are geared towards this.” He added. The final match will be hosted at the Alassane Outtara Stadium in Northern Abidjan on Sunday 11 February from 11PM EAT / 8PM GMT. AFCON 2023Third-placeSaturday23:00: (3.20) S.Africa (3.30) Dr Congo (2.30)FinalSunday23:00: (2.70) Nigeria (3.10) Ivory Coast (3.00)***odds are subject to change***
