LILONGWE, Malawi, Jun 10 – “Even if he is not famous in the world of football, he is a player we have to keep an eye on,” those are the words of Ivory Coast’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) winning coach Emerse Fae as he prepares his team to take on Harambee Stars in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Lilongwe, Malawi, on Tuesday.
The tactician says the Kenyan skipper is one of the players his side needs to be wary about, if they are to pick a result on match day four of the road to the 2026 global showpiece.
“Kenya is a very good team and they have a very good striker, Olunga. He is able to play in different conditions, he can take on a defender and can use his physicality. He is able to score from any position and we have to be focused when defending against him,” coach Fae said, speaking on Monday afternoon after the team’s final training session at the Bingu Stadium.
He added; We also need to focus on the whole Kenyan team. I know they will be motivated to become the first team to beat the African champions. It will be a difficult game and we are prepared for it.”
Fae wants to keep winning momentum
Fae led Ivory Coast’s miraculous conquest of the African Cup of Nations on home soil earlier this year, and the team has accrued a 100percent record in the qualifiers for the World Cup so far.
They have three wins in three matches, and come to Tuesday evening’s duel off a win over Gabon that sees them remain top of Group F.
Fae says the team wants to keep the same momentum that saw them win the AFCON title, coming from the brink of elimination in the group stages to claim glory.
“We have to play with the same energy, the same attitude we had at the AFCON. We need to respect every opponent. In Africa today, there is no small team and every team is able to beat any team,” said the coach.
Pressure on his shoulders
Meanwhile, the coach has admitted there is pressure on his shoulders with the World Cup qualifiers, especially after raising expectations with the team’s performance at the AFCON.
Fae was Jean Louis Gasset’s assistant at the AFCON but was elevated to the head coach after the Frenchman was fired following a disastrous group stage performance.
Now, he says all eyes are on him.
“People are waiting to see what I can do after the AFCON. Of course there is a little bit more pressure on me but this is football. When you are a manager, you need to sustain the pressure,” states the coach.
Winning is the ultimate target
On their approach against the Harambee Stars on Tuesday, the coach says winning is their ultimate target despite playing at home.
“If we can go on holiday with 12 points, it will be an important thing for us. We are hoping that we can win against Kenya and the other game goes in our favour,” added the coach.
