CAN 2024: Sébastien Haller, the saving awakening of a scorer
In difficulty in Dortmund in recent months, arriving injured at the start of this African Cup of Nations, Sébastien Haller chose his moment well to regain his sense of goal. The attacker, with a well-placed volley, allowed Côte d'Ivoire to beat the DRC and qualify for the final of this CAN 2024 on Wednesday. A welcome start after many struggles for Haller, who intends to “
finish the job
” in the final against Nigeria.
Ivorian Sébastien Haller scored the only goal in the CAN 2024 semi-final against the DRC on February 7 in Abidjan. AP - Sunday Alamba
By: Nicolas Bamba Follow
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From our special correspondent in Abidjan,
There has been a lot of talk about the Ivorian returnees in this CAN 2024, resurrected and irresistible since the end of a painful first round. The Elephants, transfigured, obtained their place for the final scheduled for February 11 against Nigeria. But then what qualifier should we use for Sébastien Haller,
the hero of the half won against the DRC
?
History, for some time, was very tough with the native of Ris-Orangis, in the Paris region. And even after winning his fight against illness, the Ivorian had to fight again to,
ultimately
, bring about a thunderous return to grace against the Leopards.
Read alsoCAN 2024: The calendar and all the results
Very complicated last months
Let's return to the summer of 2022. After a magnificent season at Ajax Amsterdam, Sébastien Haller was recruited with great fanfare by Borussia Dortmund, who saw him as the successor to Erling Haaland. The attacker's rise was unfortunately cut short by this
cancer diagnosis
, which forced him to put his career on hold for a few months while he received treatment.
Sébastien Haller quickly
returned to the field
, but at the start of the 2022-2023 season, the Ivorian is struggling in Germany: no goals in the Bundesliga or the Champions League, only two goals in the German Cup, and one time of play which has drastically reduced, week after week, at the same time as confidence.
CAN 2024 could have been a big breath of fresh air, but a stubborn injury to his left ankle spoiled a large part of his competition. The striker was unable to play a single minute during the first round and was content to come on. First in the round of 16 against Senegal, then in the quarterfinals against Mali.
“I can only enjoy it. There was a good chance that I would not participate in the CAN”
Against the Eagles, the No. 22 almost delivered his own in overtime, but the crossbar frustrated him. Destiny perhaps intended for him that the meeting in the last four against the DRC would be his big night... In the second half, Haller volleyed a cross from Max-Alain Gradel and found the net, with a bit of success, making the Ebimpé Olympic stadium and the entire Ivory Coast explode with joy.
You just had to live Sebastian Haller taking his team to the #TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 final.. 🤩🇨🇮@FIFCI_tweet | @HallerSeb pic.twitter.com/Py17o9q5Di
— CAF (@CAF_Online) February 8, 2024
It was a logically satisfied scorer who presented himself to the press after the final whistle. What a journey for the selection and for himself, having returned from so many hardships. “
I definitely feel good. I can only savor because there was a good chance that I would not participate in the competition. There were doubts, quite a few days where it wasn’t necessarily easy, mentally or physically
,” he confided.
“
Being here is just a bonus. We are benefitting. Now, we are embarked on something where we are obliged to go to the end
,” he added, looking
towards the final against Nigeria
. The Dortmund striker, 9 goals in 25 caps, only dreams of victory against the Super Eagles. “
We knew how to question ourselves to get here.
[...]
We deserved our place in the final. It’s up to us to finish the job
,” he insisted. Ivory Coast has undoubtedly not forgotten that its torments in the first round began with a setback, on the second day, against the same Nigeria. Except that for the final, the Elephants will this time have a major asset for them in the person of Sébastien Haller.
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