ABIDJAN – Cote d’Ivoire midfielder Jean-Michael Seri is ready to embrace the fresh start the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) knockout stage brings as his team prepares to face Senegal on Monday.
The Elephants had an underwhelming group stage, securing just one win against Guinea-Bissau while suffering defeats to Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea to finish with three points.
But Seri remains hopeful of a resurgence in front of home fans.
“There will be a new competition within this tournament in the knockout stage, and we are determined to progress under our new coach, who is also a mentor to us,” Seri stated during a pre-match press conference on Sunday.
“When you have a competitive mindset, your goal is to win the continental title, especially when you are hosting the tournament,” he added.
Despite Senegal’s perfect group stage record, Cote d’Ivoire is eager to bounce back.
“When you have a competitive mindset, your goal is to win the continental title, especially when you are hosting the tournament,” Seri added.
“In this competition, anything can happen. The past is behind us, and we must focus on the future, which includes our match against Senegal,” Seri commented.
The midfielder and his teammates understand the scale of the task against high-flying Senegal. But the knockout format presents a clean slate, and the Ivorians are determined to take advantage on home soil.
The winner of the heavyweight clash will face either Cape Verde or Mauritania in the quarterfinals. Cote d’Ivoire versus Senegal promises to be an intriguing start to the AFCON knockout round.
