By Ian Quillen
PHILADELPHIA, June 24 (Reuters) - Ivory Coast manager Emerse Fae said on Wednesday his team showed in their first two matches at the World Cup that they are worthy of a place in the knockout phase for the first time, as they prepare for their Group E finale against Curacao.
The African side beat Ecuador 1-0 in their opener and were leading Germany in their second match before conceding two second-half goals in a 2-1 defeat.
"I think the key is our ability to show the same seriousness,
the same mindset, the same intensity that we showed against Ecuador and Germany,” Fae said on the eve of Thursday's match.
“I think that if we respect our opponent and perform well in these different areas I just mentioned, I think we'll have a chance of qualifying for the round of 32.”
The challenge may be as much mental as it is physical after Deniz Undav’s stoppage-time winner for Germany. It could have been very different had Simon Adingra done better with an excellent 87th-minute chance.
“Simon missed an opportunity like any football player,” Fae said. “Personally, I don't blame him at all for that. And that's what I told him. That's what I told the group.
“I said that, personally, I don't have a particular problem with technical errors. The most important thing for me was that he got back to work. Because he'll score more goals for Ivory Coast.
“He'll miss others too, unfortunately. But actually, this action hasn't changed my confidence in Simon at all.”
Fae declined to provide an update on defender Wilfried Singo, who left injured in the 82nd minute against Germany. Ivory Coast's federation issued a statement saying post-match examinations were encouraging.
As for Thursday’s opponents, Fae praised Curacao’s resilience following their first group match.
“This is a team that, after a 7-1 defeat against Germany, managed to find the mental strength to draw against Ecuador," he said.
“They're a very aggressive team. They have forwards who are capable of making a difference individually. They play with a lot of teamwork.
“We're expecting a tough match tomorrow, like all World Cup matches, especially since their draw against Ecuador still gives them a chance to qualify for the second round.”
(Editing by Peter Rutherford)
