Ivory Coast coach Emerse Fae, thrust into the hot seat after a humiliating group-stage exit, vows his “resurrected” Elephants will “give everything” against reigning champions Senegal on Monday.
“This qualification was a long shot, a second chance from God,” Fae declared in Yamoussoukro, the site of their do-or-die clash. “Now, we have an obligation to fight tooth and nail.”
Fae, a Drogba teammate in the 2006 AFCON final loss, inherited a wounded team after Jean-Louis Gasset’s sacking following a 4-0 thrashing by Equatorial Guinea.
Scraped through as the last best third-placed team, Ivory Coast endured “very difficult” days waiting for clarity amidst Morocco’s delayed result. “We needed to heal and pray,” Fae admitted.
The Equatorial Guinea defeat, their worst ever home loss, demands “a different attitude,” Fae asserted. He weathered talks of Herve Renard’s temporary takeover with calmness.
“I had other things to worry about,” said the former Nantes midfielder, already part of Gasset’s staff. “Knowing the players saved me time.”
Senegal, though group-stage dominators, remain grounded, according to coach Aliou Cisse. “The praise ends now,” he warned. “One mistake tomorrow brings us back down to earth.”
This last-16 battle promises fireworks between a team fueled by redemption and another seeking to extend their dominance.
With Fae’s passion and Cisse’s pragmatism at the helm, the stage is set for a captivating clash in Yamoussoukro.
