Divine intervention? Ivorians say God is on their team’s side
ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (AP) — Ivory Coast’s unlikely — some would say miraculous — progression to the Africa Cup of Nations final has convinced locals that God is on their side.
The host nation has survived several close shaves with elimination thanks to fortune with results in other games and scarcely believable comebacks.
Late goals in remarkable wins in the knockout round against defending champion Senegal, then Mali, have no other explanation for devout locals other than being the will of God. They’re sure now he will guide Ivory Coast to its third Africa Cup title.
“Inshallah, God will do it, no doubt,” Simion Diakité told The Associated Press. “It’s a miracle of God.”
Sébastien Haller, cured after recovering from an ankle injury, fired the team into the final with a 1-0 win over Congo on Wednesday.
At the Chapelle de l’externat Saint Paul for a service hours before the match, many worshippers wore the national team’s distinctive orange jersey. The preacher, Fr. Aristide Djedje, couldn’t let the service pass without mentioning the Elephants’ semifinal that evening.
“The way the Elephants, the national team, have been advancing is only a miracle and only God can do that,” Ange Assamoi, one of the congregation, said after the service.
Ivory Coast’s progression has been anything but typical. Its federation fired the team’s coach after a 4-0 loss to Equatorial Guinea left it on the verge of elimination, then unsuccessfully tried to hire another coach when results in other games meant Ivory Coast squeezed into the last 16 with the last available qualification spot.
The win over Senegal came despite falling behind in the fourth minute. The win against Mali came despite playing with a player less for the entire second half and extra time. Oumar Diakité (no relation to Simion) scored in extra-time stoppage-time to send Ivory Coast to the semifinals.
Assamoi said worshipers take their own personal hopes to church, “but today we also have the match in our prayers, that God will give us victory this evening. And God will give us victory this evening.”
Assamoi’s confidence is shared among Ivorians of different faiths.
Sy Modeste, one of the many yellow t-shirted security men in Abidjan, said both Muslims and Christians were praying for the same thing.