In the aftermath of an intense encounter that saw Cote d’Ivoire secure their place in the quarter-finals of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire 2023, midfielder Jean-Michael Seri highlighted the paramount importance of the team's qualification, irrespective of the match going to penalties.
Following the team's impressive 5-4 victory, clinched after a 1-1 draw against Senegal, Seri, who was honored with the TotalEnergies Man of the Match award in Yamoussoukro, shared his reflections on the game.
Despite a challenging start and an early conceded goal, Seri emphasized the team's resilient response and their subsequent dominance in the match.
“We did not start the match well, and after we conceded the goal, we responded to that, and we took control of the match, with a team performance. It doesn’t matter how we qualified; what matters is that we qualified,” stated the midfielder.
Seri highlighted the unity and collective effort that enabled them to seize control of the game. According to him, the method of qualification is secondary; the primary focus is on the team's successful advancement.
“We were just calm. At halftime, the coach asked us to continue in the same way. We were very solid and united and fought for our nation. The important thing is that we qualified for the quarter-finals. Côte d’Ivoire qualified for the next round, and this is the most important thing for me,” concluded the midfielder.
