the heart of Ivory Coast was excited in Bouaké

At the end of an incredible scenario, the Ivorians qualified for the semi-finals of “their” African Cup of Nations. A feat celebrated by an entire people.

For one evening, Bouaké was the beating heart of Ivory Coast. It’s not that often that the national team plays in the country’s second city, it’s not every day that the Elephants travel away from Abidjan. But after what happened on Saturday February 3 and this almost miraculous qualification for the semi-finals of the African Cup of Nations, coming to play in Bouaké could become a must. Obviously, in any case, the supporters from the south were happy with the trip. All you had to do was take the road from Abidjan on Saturday morning to see it: thousands of cars, coaches or “bakas”, these crowded collective minibuses, fled the capital’s legendary traffic jams to come and create more beautiful ones. in the center of the country.

In each vehicle, a dominant color: orange. Men, women and even children, everyone wore the same orange tunic of the Ivory Coast team. An obvious way of becoming one, also a way of counting oneself. Because after the 4-0 rout against Equatorial Guinea and an unexpected qualification for the round of 16, there were few to proclaim their love of pachyderms. Meanwhile, Ivory Coast defeated Senegal (1-1, 5 tab at 4) and on Saturday, for the quarter-final, there were thousands of them. 40 000, exactly to converge on the Stade de la Paix in Bouaké, for a game which was shaping up to be a hell of a battle against the Malian cousins. “We win, or we win!” : for the Ivorians, the slogan was simple.

38 degrees in the afternoon, a little less at kick-off

The problem in Bouaké is the heat. The advantage, unlike Abidjan, is that the air is dry. At first, therefore, the 38 degrees grip you, then end up settling you into a delicious torpor. All your actions count. You save them, you only distribute them sparingly. Then you get used to it. The Ivorians know the phenomenon, visitors do what they can. The problem for the crowd on Saturday afternoon was that there was a football game to play and win.

So the supporters did violence to each other. Before kick-off, they shouted their national anthem. Then they sang, danced, clapped their hands and shouted a lot. Quite an astonishing atmosphere, in truth! Messy, almost crazy and at the same time very sweet. Sometimes, the stands think, reason. You can almost hear them thinking, wondering how they are going to win or, more fundamentally, if they can lose. Saturday in Bouaké, the spectators only listened to their hearts. Brains were literally disconnected. And it was undoubtedly the best way to still believe in it when everything was going wrong.

40,000 people starting to dance

The atmosphere was already crazy when Ivory Coast equalized in the last minute of regulation time. It became surreal in the final minute of overtime, when the Elephants took the lead. And the magic took hold at the final whistle which propelled the Orange into the semi-final of their African Cup. “Today is the apotheosis! savors Koné, levitating. We need it ! That’s how we want to see them play.” 40 000 people started kissing and dancing. Some even say they have seen people cry. It was too much for Fanny: “I almost fainted”. It was “double emotions” for this young woman who lives in Villejuif to attend this match in Ivory Coast, where she grew up. “This victory… I have no words.”

The emotion and pride were too strong, so this crazy saraband continued up the stairs, in the corridors of the Bouaké stadium, finally at peace with his favorites. The microphones stretched out or the cameras on turned into a release for all these supporters exhausted from having suffered so much. “Playing with the heart, that’s what Elephants are all about! Discouragement is not Ivorian!” Everyone wanted to share their joy, their sense of belonging, or simply their relief. Saturday evening, the heart of Ivory Coast beat in Bouaké. And it was beating hard.