By DEWAH Fabrice TEH
Sports writer,kick442.com-Cameroon
Ivory Coast stars Serge Aurier and Sebastien Haller says they and their teammates participating in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Cameroon are comfortable holding games at the Japoma Stadium in Douala and will prefer playing most of their games at the facility after renovation works on the stadium’s hitherto criticized playing turf.
In a post-match presser on Thursday January 20, shortly after Ivory Coast’s final Group E fixture against current African champions Algeria on the facility, the declared they and their mates of the Elephants of Ivory Coast face no challenges staging games at the newly constructed sports structure.
“We feel okay here at Douala. The playing pitch was well ameliorated when compared to when we last played on the field.
We didn’t have difficulties circulating the ball on the field. We are not saying so because we won. We want to and love playing here at the Japoma Stadium.” Sebastian Haller who tallies one goal and an assist in the current AFCON campaign, responded to a question shortly after Thursday’s game.
Two time African champions, Ivory Coast staged all three Group E games of the ongoing 33rd AFCON competition at the newly constructed 50 thousand seater Japoma Stadium in Douala.
The team finished top of the group with 7points after a 1 nil win over the Nzalang National of Equatorial Guinea, a 2 all tier with the Leone Stars of Sierra and an emphatic 3-1 thrashing of reigning African champions, Algeria on Thursday January 20.
The West Africans will face record seven time African champions, the Pharaohs of Egypt at the Japoma Stadium on Wednesday January 26 in the round of 16 of the ongoing competition.
Ivory Coast led by French Head Coach, Patrice Beaumelle are chasing their third crown in Africa’s biggest soccer continent, the Africa Cup of Nations.
Team Captain Serge Aurier’s side won their second crown in the competition in 2015 during the 30th edition of the competition held in Equatorial Guinea, 23 years after their maiden title in 1992.
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