CAN 2015 – Hervé Renard Stays Positive After Côte d’Ivoire’s Draw With Guinea
Despite Ivory Coast’s 1-1 draw against Guinea in their opening match of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, coach Hervé Renard remains optimistic about his team’s prospects in Group D.
⚽ Match Recap
Guinea struck first, capitalizing on a defensive lapse that saw Mohamed Yattara put the Syli National ahead in the first half.
Côte d’Ivoire responded after the break with Seydou Doumbia coming off the bench to equalize.
The Elephants’ task was made harder by Gervinho’s red card for violent conduct, reducing the team to 10 men just before the hour mark.
🗣️ Renard Reflects With Confidence
“In the first half, we deserved to be ahead. Gervinho hit the bar. But we gave them the first goal due to a communication error in defense.”
“Even with ten men, we had the means to win. We’re a team in reconstruction. Guinea is not to be underestimated.”
Renard emphasized that while the performance was “average”, the tournament is far from over:
“There are two matches left to qualify; nothing is over yet.”
🔜 What’s Next?
Ivory Coast will now look to regroup for their next match on Saturday against Mali, a clash that could prove decisive in the race for a quarter-final spot.
With players like Yaya Touré, Bony, and Kalou still finding their rhythm, and Gervinho now suspended, Renard will need to tweak his tactics for the crucial encounter.
