Ivory Coast Aiming To Win African Cup Of Nations

Speaking at a Johannesburg press conference at the end of a three day inspection tour with members of his executive committee who were scouting possible venues where the team would be camping in preparation for the 2010 World Cup, Jacques Anouma said they dedicated their qualification to 29 people who died during a stampede earlier this year.

“There had been many sceptics who doubted our abilities and claimed we qualified for the last World Cup in Germany by sheer luck,” said Anouma.

“We therefore had to qualify for the second consecutive World Cup just to demonstrate that we had the potential to participate in this World Cup staged in Africa.”

Anouma also said that what made him proud was the fact that they qualified for the continental and world tournaments ahead of the completion of the qualifiers.

“We dedicate this qualification to all those who died during that unfortunate stampede,” said Anouma. “I am positive that wherever they are, they would have wanted to see that day when we qualified, therefore I dedicate our qualification to every single one of them,” added Anouma.

Anouma publicly revealed their aim to win the African Nations Cup in Angola, saying that since 1992, they have somehow missed winning this continental showpiece and that the time had come for them to put the record straight.

“It would be very good for us to win something before the retirement of the present generation that consists of the likes of Kolo Toure, Didier Drogba, Didier Zokora, and Emmanuel Eboue. Like I say, our main objective in Angola is to lift the trophy."

Cote d’Ivoire was tipped among the favorites to lift the trophy in Ghana during 2008, but capitulated badly as they fell 4-0 to Egypt and crashed out of the tournament, but Anouma is confident that this time it will be different.

Peter Pedroncelli, Goal.com