ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, Jan 25 – Jean-Louis Gasset was sacked as coach of 2023 Africa Cup of Nations hosts Ivory Coast on Wednesday, two days after their 4-0 defeat against Equatorial Guinea.
It was the heaviest home defeat in Ivory Coast history.
That loss left the Elephants with slim hopes of progressing to the last 16.
However, Morocco’s win over Zambia later on Wednesday meant Ivory Coast snuck in as one of the best third-placed teams.
They face champions Senegal, who have won every game, in the knockout stages.
Ivory Coast will be led by Emerse Fae, one of Gasset’s coaches, on an interim basis.
They are the first Afcon host to lose two group games since they did so in 1984.
The country’s football federation said it had “terminated the contracts” of 70-year-old Gasset and his assistant Ghislain Printant “due to insufficient results”.
Ivory Coast finished the pool stage on three points in Group A having also lost 1-0 to Nigeria following a 2-0 win against Guinea-Bissau in their opening match.
Former Bordeaux coach Gasset was appointed by the federation in May 2022, replacing his compatriot Patrice Beaumelle.
Beaumelle’s contract was not renewed after the Elephants missed out on 2022 World Cup qualification and exited the last Nations Cup in Cameroon.
