Côte d’Ivoire coach Émerse Faé expressed disappointment following his team’s 3-2 quarter-final loss to Egypt at the 2025 CAF Africa Cup of Nations.
Mohamed Salah played a decisive role for Egypt, scoring and assisting as the Pharaohs absorbed Côte d’Ivoire’s pressure and capitalized on critical mistakes.
“We are frustrated by tonight’s result. We prepared well, but we made too many mistakes at key moments to hope to beat Egypt,” Faé said. “It hurts to concede the first goal so early, and then the second. We reacted to make it 2-1, but the third goal put us in trouble.”
Faé admitted that lapses in concentration were costly but praised his players’ resilience, noting their efforts until the final whistle. “Kessié, Fofana, and Diallo pressed until Guéla Doué reduced the deficit. The team never gave up. We laid siege with corners, crosses, and aerial balls, but Egypt’s defence, led by El Shenawy, held firm.”
Despite ending their title defence, Faé emphasized the team’s focus on learning from the defeat and improving ahead of upcoming international competitions, including preparations for the World Cup.
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