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Eliminated in November by Cameroon from the race for the World Cup-2022, Côte d’Ivoire landed on the land of the Indomitable Lions with the firm intention of shining. First in their group following dismissing Algeria, they face Mohamed Salah’s Egypt on Wednesday
The Elephants intend to crush everything in their path in this CAN-2022. The first collateral victim was the defending Algerian champion, dismissed unceremoniously during a demonstration by Côte d’Ivoire (3-1). Egypt is next on Patrick Beaumelle’s list. The Pharaohs face the Ivorians on Wednesday January 26 at the Japoma stadium in Douala
A certain desire for revenge animates the Elephants in this African Cup. Indeed, last November, they let slip the qualification for the World Cup play-offs once morest the current host country of the CAN. Yet undefeated during the first five qualifying matches, with four wins and a draw, Toko-Ekambi’s goal was fatal to them.
This poor performance might have led the Ivorian federation to put an end to the functions of Patrice Beaumelle, the current coach. However, they preferred to renew their confidence in the Frenchman with this unique opportunity to redeem themselves.
“The 24 coaches of the CAN will say that, one, you have to pass the first round and that two, you have to win,” explained Patrice Beaumelle to AFP before the start of the competition. “Since Zambia won the CAN, 54 African nations say to themselves that they can do it. If we play it, it is to win it, at least to reach the last four. But if we arrive in the last four or in the final and we lose, we will be disappointed!”
A strong workforce
The suspension for doping of goalkeeper Sylvain Gbohouo may have been a blow just before the entry into the running, the Elephants keep sacred assets in their workforce. With its players playing in the best European leagues, Côte d’Ivoire simply has the 2e most expensive collective in terms of market value, behind Senegal.
Eric Bailly and Willy Boly hold the central defense while captain Serge Aurier is unstoppable on his side. In the middle, the Seri-Kessié duo controls and supplies balloons to a dream attack made up of Wilfried Zaha, Maxwel Cornet, Nicolas Pépé and Ajax Amsterdam star Sébastien Haller.
This last, present at a press conference on Tuesday 25 January, indicated that “the Elephants are gaining momentum game following game and that is the most important thing, hoping that it continues like this”.
His coach is also satisfied with the progress of his players: “compared to the first two matches, we were much more killers. The work pays off late,” he explains.
An Egypt that struggles to convince
In front of them, the Ivorians will have a team that has not impressed since the start of the competition. After losing 0-1 to Nigeria in their entry into the competition, Egypt won by the narrowest of margins once morest Guinea Bissau and Sudan (1-0).
But if it rowed before passing the first round, Egypt remains a formidable opponent and the Ivorians know that the Pharaohs have often blocked their way in the final phase of the African Cup of Nations. During their 5e coronation at the Can in 2006, the Pharaohs had beaten the Elephants while during the following edition, it was in the semi-finals that they had brought out the Ivorians.
To triumph, the Pharaohs rely on their living God, the superstar Salah, who has been shy since the start of the competition.
“An anti-Salah plan? That would be disrespecting the other players on the pitch. It’s a whole team to control when we lose the ball,” however dismisses the Ivorians coach.