Ivory Coast and DR Congo coaches reflect on AFCON semifinal showdown

In a captivating display of African football, Ivory Coast and DR Congo clashed in the semifinal of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, leaving coaches Emerse Fae and Sebastien Desabre with much to ponder and reflect upon.

Emerse Fae, the coach of Ivory Coast, found himself jubilant in the wake of his team's unexpected journey to the final after the 1-0 win over DR Congo. "I am very happy – it is like a dream," Fae exclaimed. "In this particular match, I would say we totally deserved to win as we were solid in all departments." Fae's sentiments echoed the resilience and determination displayed by his players, particularly standout midfielder Franck Kessie, whose exceptional performance earned him the title of Man of the Match.

🇨🇮 Franck Kessie 🇨🇮

Such a special performance makes him the TotalEnergies Man of the Match! 👏#TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 | #CIVRDC | @Football2Gether pic.twitter.com/gWKQfVIA6v

— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) February 7, 2024

Meanwhile, Sebastien Desabre of DR Congo offered a more measured perspective on his team's performance and their ultimate defeat. "It was a very intensive match," Desabre reflected. "I have to admit Ivory Coast have a good team, and only a small thing made the difference, and that is what big teams do." Despite Congo's valiant effort, they fell short against Ivory Coast, but Desabre commended his players for their resilience and dedication on the field.

Beyond the game itself, both coaches acknowledged the broader significance of the tournament and their teams' roles as ambassadors for their respective nations. Desabre highlighted Congo's symbolic gesture of solidarity during the national anthem, drawing attention to the pressing issues facing their country. "The DRC national team is a symbol of national pride, and we wanted to use this opportunity to highlight the atrocities happening in Eastern DRC," Desabre stated.

Coach Sébastien Desabre:

“The national team is a symbol of national pride and we wanted to use this opportunity tonight to highlight all the atrocities happening in eastern DR Congo 🇨🇩. We hope that the situation changes.” pic.twitter.com/9X0XHzQ3oZ

— Usher Komugisha (@UsherKomugisha) February 7, 2024

As Ivory Coast prepares for the final showdown and DR Congo regroups for the third-place playoff, both teams can take pride in their contributions to an electrifying AFCON tournament.