Ivory Coast’s Unconventional Path to Afcon Final: A Closer Look at Mid-Tournament Sacking
Ivory Coast has taken an unconventional path to the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) final, making it one of the most chaotic journeys in football history. The host nation was on the brink of elimination after suffering a devastating 4-0 defeat against Equatorial Guinea in their final group stage game. However, they turned their fortunes around and emerged as the new kings of Africa after defeating Nigeria 2-1 in a remarkable comeback.
The journey of Ivory Coast in the Afcon tournament has been nothing short of remarkable. They started their campaign with a 2-0 victory over Guinea Bissau, but then suffered a 1-0 defeat against Nigeria. Following their disastrous loss to Equatorial Guinea, the team made a bold move by sacking manager Jean-Louis Gasset and appointing his assistant, Emerse Fae, as interim head coach.
Fae’s appointment coincided with the expansion of the Afcon tournament from 16 teams to 24 teams. This allowed Ivory Coast to qualify for the round of 16 as one of the best performing third-place group stage teams. In Fae’s first game in charge against Senegal, Franck Kessie scored a late penalty to secure a 1-1 draw and keep the Elephants in the tournament. They went on to win on penalties against one of the pre-tournament favorites.
The team’s ability to stage late comebacks became a defining characteristic of their journey. In the quarter-final match against Mali, Simon Adingra scored a 90th-minute equalizer to force extra time. Oumar Diakite then scored a volley in the 122nd minute, securing a 2-1 victory for Ivory Coast and a place in the semi-final.
The team’s dramatic victories led fans to refer to them as “zombies” due to their ability to come back to life when all hope seemed lost. Their path to the final became slightly less dramatic as they defeated DR Congo 1-0 in a more straightforward manner, thanks to a goal from Sebastien Haller.
The legendary Didier Drogba, a former Chelsea player, led the wild celebrations after Ivory Coast secured their place in the final. Reflecting on their unlikely journey, Fae expressed his happiness and disbelief at reaching the final, considering their defeat against Equatorial Guinea just two weeks prior.
Kessie, whose late goal epitomized the team’s never-say-die attitude, emphasized the importance of belief in football. He credited their qualification for the knockout stage as a turning point that boosted their morale and gave them the strength to keep pushing forward.
In the final, Ivory Coast faced Nigeria once again, and it was Kessie who leveled the scores on the hour mark. With just nine minutes remaining, Haller scored the winning goal, completing one of football’s most remarkable stories.
Ivory Coast’s journey to the Afcon final is a testament to the team’s resilience and ability to bounce back from adversity. They have defied the odds and shown that anything is possible in football as long as you believe in yourself.