Evann Guessand’s late call-up puts him in frame to lead Côte d'Ivoire against Egypt | OneFootball

Evann Guessand has climbed from standby to contention for Côte d'Ivoire, and could lead the line against Egypt in Agadir at 20:00 on Saturday.

According to L'Équipe, he was first named on Emerse Faé’s reserves list, then arrived in Marrakech in the night of 21-22 December after a late call to replace the injured Sébastien Haller. Three weeks on, the 24-year-old is considered the favourite to start up front for the holders.

Heading is not yet his hallmark, yet he levelled at 2-2 with a header in the 3-2 win over Gabon on 31 December.

In the 3-0 last-16 victory against Burkina Faso, his finishing misfired, but he occupied his markers and his graft helped Amad Diallo slip into the box to open the scoring.

Loans to Lausanne in 2020-2021 and Nantes in 2022-2023 preceded a rise to lead the line at Nice, then a 35 million euro move to Aston Villa last summer.

Former Nice academy coach Manu Pires says Guessand tends to arrive unheralded, work quietly, follow instructions and end up a starter. He adds that athleticism and pressing stood out early, while movement, technique, back-to-goal work and finishing have improved as he matured.

Ex-international Didier Zokora believes he runs tirelessly, sometimes drops off, but above all stretches defences to free space for team-mates such as Amad and Yan Diomandé. Faé has also used Zaha, Vakoun Bayo and Krasso at nine, and Pires underlines there will be no favouritism despite Faé’s long acquaintance from Nice’s academy.

Source: L'Équipe