Faé rues missed opportunities as Côte d’Ivoire but shifts focus to final group match

Côte d’Ivoire coach Emerse Faé was left to lament missed chances after the Elephants suffered a 2-1 defeat to Germany in their second FIFA World Cup 2026 group match on Saturday.

The former African champions had taken the lead through Franck Kessié and looked capable of securing a famous result, only for Germany to hit back late on and leave the Ivorians needing a positive result in their final group match to keep their hopes alive.

Speaking after the encounter, Faé admitted his side had been undone by fine margins and the experience of their opponents.

"We knew it was going to be a high-level match, with both teams fighting for top spot. We scored first and had a strong spell at the start of the second half, but unfortunately we couldn't get the second goal," said the Ivorian coach.

"Germany are a great football nation and they came back to win the match in the end. It is disappointing for us, but we lost with honour. We played a good game and it came down to small details. You could feel the difference in experience between the two teams."

Faé pointed to his side's inability to make the most of key moments as the turning point in the contest.

"Of course we are disappointed by the result. We had the chance to make it 2-0 at the start of the second half and later had an opportunity to regain the lead after they equalized," he said.

"Unfortunately, in those important moments we didn't do what was required, and against teams of this calibre you are never safe."

Despite the setback, the 41-year-old insisted his players would quickly turn their attention to the final group-stage assignment, with qualification still within reach.

"This is football. We will lift our heads because we still have a third match and we will go into it looking to secure qualification," he added.

The Elephants shift focus to their final Group E match against Curacao on Thursday.