‘We have been fortunate sufficient to get a second likelihood so we’d like to verify we depart with no regrets,’ stated the Ivorian striker.
Ivory Coast star Sebastien Haller has urged his workforce to “leave with no regrets” as they try to finish probably the most outstanding of main event comebacks in Sunday’s Africa Cup of Nations final on residence soil in opposition to Nigeria.
The Elephants are the primary host nation to succeed in the AFCON final since Egypt in 2006, and but they got here inside a whisker of exiting the competitors in the group stage after a surprising 4-0 defeat by Equatorial Guinea on January 22.
“We have made a spectacular recovery. We all went through a difficult time after the defeat against Equatorial Guinea,” Borussia Dortmund striker Haller instructed reporters in Abidjan on Saturday.
“We don’t have much to lose now, as long as we give our maximum. We have been lucky enough to get a second chance so we need to make sure we leave with no regrets.”
The Equatorial Guinea loss was the Ivorians’ heaviest ever at residence, and so they solely certified for the knockout section as the most effective third-placed groups after different outcomes went in their favour.
“What has happened has really brought us all closer together, because we know how close we came to this ending in a nightmare,” added Haller.
They beat holders Senegal on penalties in the final 16 after which ousted Mali in dramatic vogue in further time in the quarter-finals, earlier than a solitary Haller purpose secured a 1-0 win over the Democratic Republic of Congo in the final 4.
It was a particular second for Haller, who in the final yr has overcome testicular most cancers and the agony of lacking out on the German Bundesliga title with Dortmund on the final day of final season.
He then missed the beginning of the AFCON on account of harm, solely making his first begin of the event in the semi-final.
“The last year has been quite challenging for myself, my family, everyone. I am just trying to enjoy and take things step by step. I just hope I will enjoy tomorrow as well,” he added.
– ‘Flawless’ Super Eagles –
The match on the Ebimpe Olympic Stadium is a repeat of the conflict between the edges in their second group outing, when Nigeria –- who had been held by Equatorial Guinea in their first match — gained 1-0 because of a William Troost-Ekong penalty.
The Ivorians have modified coach since, with Jean-Louis Gasset leaving after their poor first-round performances and former participant Emerse Fae taking on.
“We dreamt of being in the final, but we have just been going one game at a time because we know how far we have had to come to get to this point,” stated Fae.
“Nigeria have had a flawless run but they have got better as they have gone along. After the draw with Equatorial Guinea they innovated and changed their system, and they have become more and more solid defensively and dangerous in attack.”
Meanwhile Nigeria coach Jose Peseiro is assured his workforce will once more rise to the event of taking part in in opposition to the host nation.
“We all prefer to play in a full stadium with a good atmosphere, but we just need to concentrate on what we have to do on the pitch,” he stated.
Peseiro admitted that left wing-back Zaidu Sanusi remained a health doubt after sitting out the semi-final in opposition to South Africa.
“Zaidu did conditioning training yesterday, and today we are going to check if he can play or not,” Peseiro stated of the Porto participant on the eve of the final.
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