Ivory Coast Axes Coach Gasset Amidst AFCON Struggles, Hopes Pinned on Zambia’s Fate Against Morocco for Knockout Entry
Ivory Coast Axes Coach Gasset Amidst AFCON Struggles, Hopes Pinned on Zambia’s Fate Against Morocco for Knockout Entry
Ivory Coast, the host nation of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, has dismissed coach Jean-Louis Gasset and his assistant Ghislain Printant following a humiliating 4-0 defeat to Equatorial Guinea. This loss marked the heaviest home defeat in Ivory Coast’s football history and compounded their struggles in the tournament.
The decision to terminate the coaching staff’s contracts was made by the country’s football federation, citing “insufficient results.” The team will now be led on an interim basis by Emerse Fae, one of Gasset‘s coaches.
The dismissal comes just two days after the devastating loss, and Ivory Coast‘s hopes of advancing to the AFCON knockout stage now hinge on the outcomes of the last group games. Ivory Coast is banking on Zambia’s failure to secure a positive result against Morocco to have a chance at advancing as one of the best third-placed teams.
Despite the grim situation, the dismissal of Gasset reflects the high expectations and pressure on the host nation to perform well in the tournament. The search for a new coach will likely intensify as Ivory Coast assesses its options to navigate the remaining matches in the AFCON.
