Imperial in the group stage, Senegal continues the defense of its title against Ivory Coast, qualified without glory and without benchmarks. Follow the meeting live from 9 p.m. on the website linternaute.com.
An almost divine or at least totally unexpected opportunity is offered to the Ivorian selection. Last week, on the evening of the humiliation inflicted by Equatorial Guinea (0-4), no one still imagined she would be invited to “her” party, barring a miracle. This materialized when Morocco enforced the hierarchy by dominating Zambia (1-0), thus giving the Elephants the right to compete in the round of 16. A match of no return against Senegal, reigning champion.
Nothing to be afraid of when you came so close to the exit, which would have been a huge snub at home, provided you included the right ingredients. A job that Emerse Faé has carried out in recent days. After the withdrawal of Jean-Louis Gasset, who left the ship in the shipwreck, he took charge of a damaged group and made urgency and pride the driving forces to revive it. Without revolutionizing anything, the former Nantes player asked his men to show personality and character. “I want players who wet their jerseys. Players who take this second chance as a last chance and redeem themselves. I want to see a Côte d’Ivoire team that represents the country, players who are worthy of the Ivorian people,” he said at a press conference.
Despite everything, we should not expect a revolution in what Ivory Coast will offer. Faé reiterated his confidence in a group that he knows is capable of doing much better. “We didn’t have a good first round, but on paper we have nothing to envy of Senegal. We have quality players (…) I think that the psychological ascendancy will be 50- 50. Both teams are sure of their strengths. Now there is a team that has come a long way, us, and a team that has entered its competition very well. But the counters will be reset to zero, it’s a new competition which begins, this time with direct elimination”, noted the new Ivorian coach, estimating, rightly, that “the pressure will be on both camps”.
The transition to the cleaver match, in fact, completely changes the situation with this idea that what was done before no longer really matters. “It’s a new competition that’s starting. You have to win to continue or lose and go home. The match can end after 90 minutes, overtime or penalties,” Aliou Cissé lucidly noted at a press conference before to resume. “We are ready for all these situations. We will do our best to get through this stage.”
A maximum which seems greater than what their opponent of the day can produce. Winner in 2022, Senegal is riding on this result and even maintains a much older dynamic. The Teranga Lions are thus the only ones in the competition to have achieved three victories in the group stage, conceding only one goal. A solidity, built around Mendy and other Koulibaly, which looks more and more like a trademark since the Senegalese selection has been able to protect its cage 11 times in its last 18 outings at the CAN and has not conceded two goals. in the same meeting in the event for more than 7 years.
A defensive force to which is added an attack as formidable as ever with the inevitable Sadio Mané, guide and capable of unblocking any situation, but also the disconcerting Ismaïla Sarr whose percussion creates breaches. “We fear no one. We are our own enemies,” said Aliou Cissé in case an observer could doubt it. The champion does not intend to give up his crown right away, even less against the Ivorian host, an injured beast that he sees fit to finish.
The round of 16 of the CAN, between Senegal and Ivory Coast, will take place from 9 p.m. (8 p.m. local time), at the Charles-Konan-Banny stadium, in Yamoussoukro.
The round of 16 of the CAN, between Senegal and Ivory Coast, will be broadcast live and exclusively on beIN Sport 1.
The meeting between Aliou Cissé’s Senegal and Emerse Faé’s Ivory Coast will be available in streaming on the MyCanal platform.
Betclic: Senegal: 2.26 / Draw: 2.98 / Ivory Coast: 3.12
Parions Sport: Senegal: 2.25 / Draw: 2.95 / Ivory Coast: 3.25
Winamax: Senegal: 2.45 / Draw: 3.05 / Ivory Coast: 3.15
Senegal: Mendy – Diatta, Koulibaly, Abdou Diallo, Jakobs – Pape Sarr, Pape Gueye, Camara – Ismaïla Sarr, Habib Diallo, Mané.
Côte d’Ivoire: Yahia Fofana – Singo, Diamond, Ndicka, Konan – Seko Fofana, Sangaré, Kessie – Diakite, Krasso, Kouame.
