The Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire may no longer play the eye-catching passing game, but they are now a hard working team set to finally be crowned African champions again, 23 years since their first triumph.
On Sunday at the Estadio de Bata, they face Ghana for the championship after they eliminated DR Congo 3-1 and the Black Stars disposed of host team Equatorial Guinea 3-0.
The Ivorians grinded out the win they needed against Cameroon to top Group D after laboured draws against Mali and Guinea.
Coach Herve Renard was first to admit they knocked out a better Algeria team in the quarterfinals.
And against DRC on Wednesday, the Elephants were again not the fluid-flowing side they have been known to be over the years, but they still got the job done.
“Cote d’Ivoire changed their way of playing. Hervé Renard was clever enough to realise that his team was too glamorous,” acknowledged DRC coach Florent Ibenge.
“He put three centre-backs and instead of having possession, they played at the back, counter-attacked and were much more efficient.”
Exciting Roma winger Gervinho added: “We fought to get where we are. We managed to get the motivation and to show that we are still Cote d’Ivoire.”
Top Senegalese journalist Aliou Goloko, who is Equatorial Guinea to cover the competition, said: “It is no longer beautiful Cote d’Ivoire, but the most important thing is that they have so far got the results they needed.
“And now they will be the favourites whoever they face in the final on Sunday.”
In 1992, when they won the Nations Cup after a penalty shootout victory over Ghana in Dakar, Senegal, they were a lot more exciting side blessed with talented players like Youssouf Fofana, Abdoulaye Traore, Joel Tiehi and Serge-Alain Maguy with the attractive passing philosophy of Asec Mimosas of Abidjan their base.
Renard himself has admitted he is now in charge of a “different but fascinating” team.
“We now have a different style from the Cote d’Ivoire of the past. We now have a balance of hard workers and talented players. This is perfect for Cote d’Ivoire,” he remarked.
Manchester City star and skipper Yaya Toure, Wilfried Bony and Gervinho now play alongside the likes of industrious players like Serey Die, Eric Bailly and Serge Konan with more sense of purpose.
But what has not changed with the Elephants over the years is they are still overflowing with options in attack, which a proud Renard said is spearheaded by “fantastic scorer” Bony, the new Manchester City signing.
“I start (Max Alain) Gradel, Gervinho and Bony in attack and on the bench I still have Salomon (Kalou), (Seydou) Doumbia and Lassina Traore. Yes, we have options to score goals, even though these players may disagree because I cannot play all of them at the same time,” joked Renard.