IVORY COAST: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Ivorian football team, the Elephants return home to a warm welcome despite being defeated by Zambia 8-7 in a dramatic penalty shoot-out in the African Cup of Nations finals

Record ID: 182187

  • Title: IVORY COAST: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Ivorian football team, the Elephants return home to a warm welcome despite being defeated by Zambia 8-7 in a dramatic penalty shoot-out in the African Cup of Nations finals
  • Date: 14th February 2012
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF DANCERS PERFORMING FOR IVORIAN TEAM
  • Embargoed: 29th February 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Cote d'Ivoire
  • Country: Ivory Coast
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA3DJ00CQFD1CPF1K4DVI3UBMXL
  • Story Text: Ivory Coast's national team, Les Elephants retuned home to a triumphant welcome from fans who came out in their thousands to cheer them on despite a loss at the Africa Cup of Nations final.
    One by one the players came off a plane at Abidjan's main airport on to the tarmac where they were greeted by president Alassane Ouattara, as well as a large contingent of government officials.
    The Ivorian team -- packed with high profile players, have been favourites at every tournament since 2006 but again came up short in their bid on Sunday to add to their only previous success 20 years ago.
    A penalty miss by Didier Drogba in the final in Gabon and squandered kicks in the shootout by Kolo Toure and Gervinho - all three of whom play in the English Premier League - saw them beaten for the second time in the final since their loss in 2006 to Egypt.
    In 2008 they were semi-finalists and at the last tournament in Angola in 2010, surprise losers in the quarter-finals.
    Eight players in Sunday's final had been in the squad defeated six years ago, but Ivorians have turned out a consistent side that has qualified for the last two World Cups.
    Ouattara encouraged the team.
    "The reality is that you did not bring the cup home but you didn't lose the match either. (Applause). Luck was not on our side this time around and the cup has slipped away from us. But it's only temporary, until next time," he said to a subdued-looking Ivorian team But Ivorian fans did not look too devastated by the loss, as they enthusiastically cheered the team on the streets of Abidjan saying, "they beat us but we don't care."
    "Despite the fact that they didn't bring back the Cup, we are still really happy," said football fan, Konia Seku.
    "The team didn't concede to a single goal, we haven't seen that before. I'm happy, I'm happy and I congratulate the boys - they should realise that they have overcome this, they won," added another football fan.
    The Ivorians completed the 2012 finals, co-hosted by Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, without conceding a goal in six games but put in a timid performance in the final, seemingly finding the burden of expectation too heavy to carry.
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