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Ivory Coast coach Emerse Fae has revealed why the likes of Kenya, Gambia and Burundi have an advantage over his charges in World Cup qualification.
Ivory Coast head coach Emerse Fae has revealed why he thinks teams like Kenya, Gambia and Burundi are at an advantage over his charges in the race to secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Despite Ivory Coast leading Group F with 10 points from four matches, the group remains open, with Gabon close behind on nine points, Burundi on seven points, and Kenya on five points. The next set of decisive matches is scheduled for 2025.
Fae pointed out the exhaustion factor affecting his players, who have been heavily involved in both club matches and the African Cup of Nations earlier this year.
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“This period is not easy for big teams because our players have played a lot of matches for their clubs and took part in the African Cup of Nations in January and February,” Fae explained.
“It is a period where the player is a little bit tired. This period is better for the smaller teams because they have more energy and more possibilities.”
Acknowledging the long road to qualification, Fae stressed the importance of upcoming matches.
“We knew the path to qualification would be long. We are only four games in. We have a long way to go. We have games against Burundi and Gambia in March and we will try to get all the three points but we know it will not be easy.”
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Harambee Stars boss Engin Firat offered his perspective on the group dynamics, asserting that all teams, except for Seychelles, have a realistic chance of qualifying.
“Ivory Coast are the favorites and they have a fantastic team. There is Seychelles who (respectfully) have no chance, which is the reality. The other teams are almost similar in quality and anyone can beat each other. You saw Burundi beat Gambia easily, which has a good team at home.”
Firat believes that Ivory Coast, despite being favorites, will face significant challenges, especially in away matches. “I believe Ivory Coast will not go through easily. If they go to away matches, you will see why home matches are important.”
As the qualification campaign progresses, the upcoming fixtures will be crucial in determining which teams will secure their spots in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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