Senegal deserve to win - Cote d'Ivoire coach Haidara
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Cote D'Ivoire's Soualiho Haidara says Senegal players demonstrated why they deserved to win Saturday's clash after the Teranga Lions edged past their neighbours at 2022 TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Algeria.
The Elephants were undone by Moussa Ndiaye's 77th minute strike as Senegal scooped all the three points in a blockbuster match-up of West Africa's football giants in Group B in Annaba.
Fans witnessed a high intensity game of football at the 19 May 1956 Stadium in Annaba with thousands of supporters attending the game.
Haidara's charges were aware there was no room for error but they let their guards down in the second stanza after making a comeback to the tournament after a 12-year absence.
"We played a very good Senegalese side. In all honesty, they deserved the win," Soualiho lauded Pape Thiaw and his players.
''I already said we were faced with three finals. A win against Senegal would have made life easier, but we didn't win so we are in a tough position.
Coach Soualiho praised the tournament's organization and the state of the art stadium in the Algerian city of Annaba where the Group B match was played on Saturday.
"The stadium in Annaba is a good stadium and it didn't surprise us because Algeria is a great football nation."
Cote d'Ivoire will look to steady their campaign when they face DR Congo on Wednesday at the same venue.
