CAN 2025 qualifiers-Morocco: match lost for Ivory Coast, not the hope of supporters

Ivory Coast experienced its first defeat under the Faé Emerse era, losing (1-0) against Sierra Leone, during the 4th day of the qualifiers for the African Cup of Nations (CAN). ) Morocco 2025. Shared between disappointment and hope, Ivorian supporters in Abidjan remain united with their pachyderms.

The Ivorian selection played its qualification on Tuesday October 15 against Sierra Leone, the same team that the Elephants had crushed in the first leg at home (4-1) at the Laurent Pokou stadium in San Pédro, last week during the 3rd day of the qualifiers for CAN 2025-Morocco.

The match, played with a B team aligned by Faé, showed several weaknesses in the game, especially a lack of efficiency. The only goal of the match came in stoppage time, following a corner in favor of Sierra Leone.

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Ivorians who saw their national team qualify at the end of the fourth day will have to be patient.as you can see, I’m in so much pain, I don’t know what to say, because with a draw, we would have qualified. This time the coach Faé Emerse did not provide winning coaching by bringing in Éric Bailli», complains Ibrahim Kolo, an Ivorian supporter visibly upset against the reigning champions.

But hope is not lost. Despite the obvious disappointment at the final whistle, Ivorian supporters remain optimistic because despite this poor performance, Ivory Coast remains in a good position, especially since it largely won the first leg in San Pedro on the score of (4-1).

However, it will be necessary to react quickly to avoid a surprise elimination during the next meetings. “The national coach was testing his B team, so there is no reason to be discouraged. She is still leader of her group with 9 points. This defeat is welcome for Faé Emerse to question herself. says Serge Koffi, a fairly confident Ivorian supporter.

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This meeting, which was played on a synthetic turf, a pitch to which the Elephants of Côte d’Ivoire are not necessarily accustomed, would be to the disadvantage of the reigning African champions. Moreover, the coach of the Ivorian team, Faé Emerse, emphasized during the conference before the match that this type of terrain more favored the Leone Stars, accustomed to playing on this surface. “We expect a tough match tomorrow. The synthetic pitch is more favorable to them because they play there more often. For our part, we have less experience on this type of surface“, he declared.

A prediction that came true?

The match, played on Tuesday October 15, 2024 at the Samuel Kanyon Doe stadium in Monrovia (Liberia), took a surprising turn, while the Elephants were heavily favored.

This first defeat under Faé Emerse complicates Ivory Coast’s direct qualification plans for CAN 2025. Although it still remains in the race, this poor performance highlights tactical and technical shortcomings that the team will have to correct quickly.

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The next match will be played in November against Zambia which remains a team to fear for Ivory Coast.

This unexpected defeat, the first since their setback against Equatorial Guinea in the 2023 competition, puts an end to the 11-match unbeaten run of the African champions, who had nine wins and two draws under the leadership of coach Emerse Faé.

The road to the CAN is becoming more complicated for the Elephants, who will now have to show more consistency and combativeness in the next meetings to hope to qualify for the competition planned in Morocco. The supporters, for their part, will continue to be their twelfth man, ready to support them until the end