It’s another tough blow for Ivory Coast and their coach, Emerse Faé. Sébastien Haller, who scored the winning goal in the 2023 AFCON final against Nigeria, will be sidelined for the remainder of the season due to an ankle injury sustained in a Bundesliga match between Borussia Dortmund and Borussia Mönchengladbach.
The dreadful news has been confirmed: According to Sky Sport, Sébastien Haller, the star striker of Borussia Dortmund and Ivory Coast’s Elephants, will miss the rest of the season and inevitably the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup due to an ankle injury. This absence is a major setback for Ivorian coach Emerse Faé, losing one of his most important players at a crucial moment in the qualification campaign.
Haller had set his sights on having a stellar season with Borussia Dortmund. However, his season has been marred by injuries, notably an ankle injury that kept him sidelined for several weeks. His latest injury, suffered during the Bundesliga match against Borussia Mönchengladbach on April 14, 2024, has turned out to be the most severe. Yet, the former Hammer had become an indispensable element of Emerse Faé’s setup. His power, technique, and goal-scoring instinct made him a formidable asset for the Ivorian attack. He had been one of the heroes of Ivory Coast’s victory in the 2023 AFCON final, scoring the decisive goal against Nigeria. A withdrawal that complicates the task for Emerse Faé’s Elephants.
The absence of Sébastien Haller significantly complicates Ivory Coast’s task in their quest to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. Ivory Coast is currently at the top of Group F in the qualifiers, but they will face Gabon and Kenya in the last two group stage matches in June 2024. Without Haller, the Elephants lose a player capable of making the difference on his own. Emerse Faé will now have to find solutions to replace Haller in attack. He has several options, including Wilfried Zaha, Nicolas Pépé, and Krasso. However, none of these players have the same profile as Haller, and it’s unlikely they can fully fill his absence.
Sébastien Haller’s withdrawal is thus a setback for Ivory Coast’s ambitions to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. The Elephants will have to go above and beyond to achieve their goal without their star striker.
Leave a Reply