Mission impossible accomplished for Emerse Faé! The Ivorian, appointed interim coach of the Elephants after the rout against Equatorial Guinea, accomplished the feat of beating Senegal, reigning African champion, in the round of 16 of CAN 2024

Coming to the microphone of France 24 after the match, the young 40-year-old coach – the youngest in the competition – showed his satisfaction after the qualification of Côte d'Ivoire, but refused to get excited.

Also read Who is Emerse Faé, “the man on the ground” on an impossible mission for Ivory Coast?

What was the plan to beat Senegal?

The plan was to find solidarity and find a team unit. To stand together, to defend together, to attack together. There wasn't a particular plan to block this or that player, but we really wanted to get together. We wanted to find men, we wanted to find the Elephants.

How did you experience this first match as coach?

It was good. When there is a result like that, it’s always nice. Before the match, it was a particular pressure... We had come a long way. We wanted to show that what happened last week was an accident. [It was a particular pressure] because we were playing against the best team in Africa at the moment, which had an exceptional first round with three matches, three victories, eight goals scored against just one conceded.

I asked my players not to give up, not to give up. So I myself didn't give up and I gave everything. And we qualified!

Are you relieved and relaunched in the CAN?

No way. It's not even a victory tonight, it's a draw. So we won one match out of four, we lost two matches, we drew one, that's good. We're taking our heads out of the water a little because we've come from a long, long way away. We have gone through the back door, we must remain humble and continue to work. If possible, don't make any noise. We let Morocco or Nigeria be favorites. We will focus on the quarter-finals and then we will see what happens afterwards.

Is it finally communion with the Ivorian public this evening?

We know the Ivorian public. We know that the first thing he wants is for the players to wet their jerseys. From the moment we wet our jerseys, the public is in phase with us. We have to continue like this, because when you play at home and you have this support from the public, it's wonderful? It gives you even more strength when the 12th man is with you.

So we will do everything to continue to wet our jerseys, to fight, to make the effort together. This is how we will have our supporters with us.

The France 24 summary of the week

invites you to look back at the news that marked the week

I subscribe

Take international news everywhere with you! Download the France 24 application