Texas, June 30 -- Ivory Coast head coach Emerse Fae expressed immense pride but deep disappointment following his team's painful 2-1 defeat to Norway, concluding a historic World Cup campaign with an 86th-minute knockout blow.

The match marked a monumental day for Ivorian football as the Elephants competed in their very first World Cup knockout stage fixture. Despite a relentless, spirited performance to claw back into the game, a late defensive lapse allowed Erling Haaland to seal the victory for Norway, leaving the West Africans with virtually no time to strike back.

"It's difficult to lose, you know, in the last few minutes," Fae said in a post-match press conference via Reuters. "It's difficult to find the right words, because my pl...