Emerse Fae, Ivory Coast Interim Manager and ‘Best Coach Of The Tournament’ still finds it hard to believe that his team are Africa Champions.
If you can remember, the Elephants qualified for the knockout stages as one of the four best losers in the group phase. In a 16-man tournament, they would have been knocked out but that was not the case because the tournament is a 24-man tournament.
Fae’s team came from a goal deficit to beat the Super Eagles at the stadium in Abidjan, Alassanne Quattara Stadium, in what was an enthralling encounter on a Sunday night.
The most popular 40-year-old man on the continent at his after-match press conference said he still finds it difficult to believe his team won the title and that the latest AFCON tournament is a mark in his life. The best coach of the tournament went on to say he took over the team on his 40th birthday when they were almost knocked out but things changed for them due to his players’ hard work and they have been rewarded greatly for it.
I still find it hard to believe it. We went through all the emotions. This competition will mark my life, that’s for sure.
I took the reins of the team, on my birthday and we were almost knocked out, yet things turned around thanks to the hard work of these players and today they have been rewarded and more importantly, they rewarded our loyal people.”
Fae said
This side was beaten 4 goals to nil on January 22nd by Equatorial Guinea in their first group stage match. It is a huge milestone they reached by turning the heaviest loss around in a grande style.
Their turnaround started at the knockout phase when they caught the continent attention by defeating former Champions Senegal, they beat Mali at the Quarter finals and needed Haller’s mastermind helped them took care of DR Congo at the semis.
The host nation also made good use of the advantage many host nations throw away as their citizens full up the 60,000 stadium capacity.
AFCON finals don’t usually produce goals as the last finals produced 11 goals. Five out of these finals were decided via spot kicks but the latest one was different as it produced 3 goals in the normal regulation time.
The final would have been predicted to be a low-scoring affair. Rightfully so, as Ivory Coast last 4 finals going into the latest one ended via spot kicks which they won two out of.
The first half of the match was going with that same pattern until the 34th minute when Super Eagles goalkeeper, Nwabali denied Adingra a goal-scoring shot, as it is the only notable and clear chance in the half.
This became a relief for the Nigerian side as they took the lead four minutes after courtesy of the captain’s header, Troost-Ekong, from Lookman’s corner kick.
Five matches before, the Elephants would have fallen apart in that scenario instead they handled it well without collapsing till they leveled.
Nwabali denied what would have been a comfortable lead for the Elephants when he kept Kossounou long-range shot away from his net at the 62nd minute.
