Angola 2010: Ghana clash with I. Coast

  1. Posted on Friday 15 January 2010 - 11:03
    Gbentil
    Image of Gbentil
    Glorea Bentil, AfricaNews reporter in Accra, Ghana
    Ghana is going into a pitch battle with western neighbours Ivory Coast today in Cabinda as their first match in the ongoing Orange African Nations Cup. The Black Stars did not play as scheduled on Monday due to the sudden departure of the Togolese team that was attacked on their way to Angola.
    Angola 2010
    It is going to be a must-watch game as the two Chelsea team mates Michael Essien of Ghana and Didier Drogba of Ivory Coast clash to prove their supremacy of the other.

    For the Ivory Coast, it is their final group game, where they will be seeking a much improved performance to the goalless draw they played out against the group’s other team, Burkina Faso, at the start of the week.

    The Black Stars are already missing some key players as Milovan Rajevac makes a late decision on the fitness of Michael Essien. Another key player, Anthony Annan is the latest to be ruled out after picking up a hamstring injury in training.

    Essien only arrived in Cabinda on Wednesday, his trip first delayed by hamstring injury and then poor flight connections out of Europe.

    However, Rajevac's position has been strengthened by the availability of a youthful side which includes eight members of the squad that won the Under-20 World Cup in Egypt in October.

    “We have a very young team and we are going to play an experienced team,” said Rajevac.

    “It will be a young side out to prove themselves against Ivory Coast. It is going to be a very difficult game for us tomorrow but I promise we are going to beat Ivory Coast.”

    If the opener against Burkina Faso did expose the Ivorians, then the Elephants know they will need an improved performance today with the prospect of Ghana halting their progression to the next stage of the African Cup of Nations.

    “I hope we will play better football and that my team will prove more efficient,” Ivorian coach Vahid Halilhodzic told a media conference on the eve of the game.

    The match is likely to be dominated by the clash between Chelsea team mates Didier Drogba and Michael Essien.

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