AFCON 2023: Ivory Coast caught between resignation, anger and hope

“It's a nightmare, there's no other word for it.” Assessing Ivory Coast's defeat to Equatorial Guinea (4-0) in the immediate aftermath, Jean-Louis Gasset still seemed unable to take it in. The Elephants endured one of their worst nights at the Ebimpé Stadium on matchday 3 of the AFCON 2023 group stage. A game that was meant to mark the celebrations of a place in the round of 16 of their own tournament turned into a nightmare for almost all of the supporters.

Read more: Ivory Coast humiliated and all but eliminated

While some were left in disbelief, stunned by the result, others vented their anger at the players and staff, both inside and outside the stadium. So much so that it took a while before the buses of both teams could leave the Ebimpé Stadium, for security reasons. Disappointed by the turn of events and above all by the display from their team, some supporters were waiting for the chance to show their anger directly.

https://twitter.com/mlktraore/status/1749533294717284652

In the streets of Abidjan, which stayed largely calm, scenes of damage were reported in some areas, notably buses being stoned and small fires being started, fortunately with no injuries. “For months we've been told the team will be ready, that the defeat against Zambia (3-0, editor's note) was nothing. Now we've seen. That's not a team”, exclaimed one supporter as he left the stadium. Insults and other colourful language were hurled at the players and the head coach, but not only them. The president of the Ivorian Football Federation also came in for criticism.

“I saw players in tears in the dressing room”

“Who went and got this coach? It's Idriss Diallo. He's the one who imposed him, when nobody in Europe wanted him and he was out of work. He brings him to Ivory Coast and now look. That's all the stuff Drogba wanted to change”, added another fan, still furious. “ Now even Equatorial Guinea beat Ivory Coast. 4-0, 4-0!”

Disbelief is the prevailing feeling. Even Jean-Louis Gasset cannot understand how such a scenario came about. “When you lose 4-0 at home in front of your own fans, it really hurts. Everyone is devastated. I saw the players in tears in the dressing room. It hurt me deeply. The result is a disaster, I feel responsible ”, he admitted at the press conference. But nothing went the Elephants' way. A genuine off day.

“We'd prepared well for this game, though. The players were good, we were on top, but we tried too hard to force things. We didn't manage to score despite our chances. We also had two goals disallowed... Meanwhile, their every chance ended up in the net ”, lamented the French coach. “It's like against Nigeria. We have chances we don't score and at the other end they score. ”

Still, there is hope of qualification

Wasteful attacking that has cost Ivory Coast dearly, leaving them 3rd in Group A behind their surprise opponents on the night and Nigeria. With three points on the board, the Elephants are not yet eliminated, though. They now have to wait 48 hours for all the other teams to play their final games to settle the final ranking of the best 3rd-placed sides. A last-gasp berth among the four places available is still possible. With the initial disappointment past, the calculators are out to work out how Sefo Fofana's side can still hope to qualify.

Among the various scenarios, one involves a draw between Mozambique and Ghana. That is exactly what happened in the final seconds of the match played later that evening (2-2). A first step before other results that need to go their way to snatch a place as one of the best 3rd-placed teams. That is enough to give hope to fans who do not want to see the team's run end already. For his part, although he also still wants to believe, Jean-Louis Gasset seemed somewhat resigned. “When you have to wait for other results and hope, it's not a good sign”, he confided, seemingly keen not to raise fans' hopes too much after a night they will not forget in a hurry, whatever the final outcome for Ivory Coast at this AFCON 2023, which has been full of twists and turns.

https://twitter.com/Majorchoco/status/1749597119277617418