Cote d’Ivoire midfielder, Jean-Michael Seri, underscores the significance of team qualification for the quarter-finals in the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire 2023, despite the match advancing to penalties.
Seri spoke following his team’s emphatic 5-4 victory, securing their spot after a 1-1 draw against Senegal, where he received the TotalEnergies Man of the Match award in Yamoussoukro.
Reflecting on the match, Seri acknowledged a challenging start but emphasized the team’s response after conceding a goal.
He highlighted the collective effort and unity that allowed them to take control of the game. According to Seri, the method of qualification is secondary; what matters is the team’s successful advancement.
“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”, said the midfielder.
“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.
