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Cote d’Ivoire head coach Emerse Fae has lamented his team’s elimination from the FIFA World Cup 2026, Competesports.com reports.
The Elephants were knocked out of the competition following a 2-1 defeat to Norway in their Round of 32 encounter on Tuesday night.
Antonio Nusa gave Norway the lead with a superb finish from inside the box six minutes before the break.
Cote d’Ivoire levelled through Amad Diallo in the 74th minute.
Read Also:World Cup 2026: Côte d’Ivoire Deserved Round Of 32 Spot — Faé
Erling Haaland stabbed home from close range from Patrick Berg’s low cross five minutes from time to send Norway into the Round of 16.
Fae Rues Elephants’ Poor Marksmanship
Fae said his side paid the price for failing to convert their chances.
“That’s football. When you get chances, you have to score. We did the hard part by equalising. Unfortunately, we conceded that goal at the end. It’s a shame. The players gave it their all and played until the very end. We were up against a spirited team that defended well and managed to secure qualification,”Fae was quoted by FIFA.com.
“At this level, it comes down to the little details. You have to stay focused from start to finish, no matter the opponent. It was everyone’s first World Cup. I think the players have learned a lot. Now, we’ll work on coming back stronger for the next challenges.”
