Cote d'Ivoire boss makes stern admission ahead of AFCON opener

Ivory Coast coach Jean-Louis Gasset has made a stern Guinea-Bissau admission ahead of his side's TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup on Nations 2023 opener. 

The French manager emphasised that he and his team cannot underestimate their opponents when the two nations butt heads on Saturday, 13 January. 

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While the Elephants are considered to be favourites heading into the match, Gasset advised his side to be wary of a potential upset. Speaking ahead of what promises to be a captivating encounter, the coach also urged the nation to get behind their team. 

"We cannot underestimate Guinea-Bissau," he said  per CAF.

"In these type of opening games, there is always a risk the underdog is fired up to cause an upset."

"The Ivorians must be 100 per cent with us. It is for you that we will fight. We need to feel that you are with us," he added per the Ghanaian Times. 

"Supporters have an import­ant role to play. Even in difficult mo­ments, if we miss a goal, you have to be there even if we are dominated."

This is set to be the first AFCON encounter between the two nations and the hosts will have to go into it with star striker Sebastien Haller who has been ruled out of his side's opening encounter as he continues his recovery from an ankle injury. 

Bissau coach Baciro Cande, meanwhile, is adamant that his team can come up with something special against the Ivorians.

"We know we can create a sensation against the hosts," he said. 

The Djurtus will certainly have a mountain to climb in order to pull off an upset, considering that the side have failed to score in their last seven AFCON matches. 

They could, however, be pushed by a determination to not finish at the bottom of their group, as they have done in each of their three previous participations.

Read: Senegal star: This AFCON will be the best in history 

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