Ivory Coast can secure a first-ever place in the World Cup knockout stages with a victory over Germany in Toronto on Saturday, and head coach Emerse Faé has urged supporters to make themselves heard despite limited numbers at BMO Field. Faé told journalists on Friday that those inside the stadium must “make the maximum noise,” recalling the backing the team received against Ecuador.
Faé also targeted fans unable to buy tickets or obtain visas. “For those who can’t come to the stadium, take to the streets of Toronto, get to the fan zones, make as much noise as possible to do as much as you can to help us qualify,” he said, adding that if the team qualifies “we can all party together and celebrate this victory together.”
The Elephants began the tournament with a 1-0 win over Ecuador, a result that gives the 2024 African champions their best chance yet of reaching the last 32. Across three previous World Cup appearances the side won three of nine matches but were eliminated at the group stage each time; the report said Ivory Coast likely need one more point from their games against Germany and Ecuador to progress.
Support was scarce among the 68,000 fans at the opening match in Philadelphia, the report said, with visa restrictions and the requirement of a bond of $5,000 to $15,000 (€4,300 to €13,000) preventing many home-based supporters from travelling. Canada uses a different visa structure, so more Ivorians are expected to be present in Toronto, though ticket prices have also put attendance out of reach for parts of the fanbase.
Faé said his team will approach the match in the same way regardless of the opponent. “We’re going [into the match] with peace of mind, knowing that if we win, it will be historic for the Ivorian team and for our country,” he said. “We’ll play to our strengths. We’re aware of their strengths – including offensively – but we’re solid defensively, and we’ll keep this and try to hurt them offensively.”
