By: Nana Kwame Bediako
Host nation Côte d’Ivoire has parted ways with their coach, Jean-Louis Gasset, as the team waits on the final hearing from other games in order to gain qualification to the round of 16 following a disappointing start to the Africa Cup of Nations tournament.
Côte d’Ivoire could be knocked out of the tournament if results from elsewhere don’t favour them, but as it stands, they have a higher chance of making it than not making it. The vacant position will be taken by Emerse Fae, who will come in as interim coach.
The Elephants’ last group game caused the whole of Côte d’Ivoire to be agitated as they recorded their biggest ever home defeat at the hands of Equatorial Guinea. The elephants were trashed by 4:0 in the hands of the National Thunders.
The embarrassing defeat in the hands of Equatorial Guinea made Côte d’Ivoire the first country in AFCON history to lose two consecutive games as host nation, dating back to a similar record in 1984.
Côte d’Ivoire will now hope for the results of the last group games on Wednesday, January 24, 2024, to decide their fate in the AFCON 2023. Their hope of qualifying for the next round has been on the rise following Ghana’s disappointing draw against Mozambique.
