The first leg clash in the final round of qualifiers between Ivory Coast’s elephants and Senegal’s Lions was described as a fantastic match, ending in a 4-2 victory for Ivory Coast. Despite the defeat, the Senegalese staff believes that the Ivorian selection is “within their reach,” expressing confidence ahead of the return match. On the other side, the Ivory Coast team acknowledges that they “suffered” during the game.
Here are some reactions from key figures after the match:
Joseph Koto (Senegal coach): “This team is within our reach. My players played well. Ivory Coast scored four goals, we too can achieve the same performance at home. We will work between now and the return match to correct the mistakes made this evening.”
Papiss Cissé (Senegal Forward): “If there is one thing that must be denounced in Africa, it is the referees. He can do anything because he is the only master of the field. The return match won’t be easy, but Ivory Coast is a great team, and we are also a great team.”
Sabri Lamouchi (Ivory Coast coach): “I would like to thank the players for their generosity. This group intends to see things through to the end. As for the match, no one would have bet on six goals in the game. We got scared. We suffered to get back to the score and make the decision. The Senegalese team defended very well. We need to be much more fluid in the game and play with one or two touches of the ball.”
Gervinho (Ivory Coast Forward): “I have no comments to make on the refereeing. As for the match, the most important thing was to win at home. We won, that’s the main thing.”
