A Generation's Ambitions

Ivory Coast’s current cream of players is the best the West African nation has ever produced in its history, but the team is yet to live up to expectation, failing wayside in different campaigns within the African continent and beyond. And with time running out of the age of these players, most of whom are clocking the mark of 30, there is serious need to play and make an impact in the history of Africa football before any retirement. South Africa 2010 maybe the moment for this!

Ivory Coast’s FA, knowing how frustrated and indifferent local fans are becoming because of the team’s repetitive debacles, hired expensive Swedish-born coach, Sven-Goran Eriksson to redeem the team and lead it to South Africa. The pre-World Cup matches played by Ivory Coast showed some nice improvement, but Didier Drogba’s injury and probable absence in the opener maintains the fear in the hearts of many fans in Abidjan.

However the situation, Ivory Coast will take on Portugal with intense determination, bearing one thing in mind: playing to satisfy a whole nation, which is emerging timidly from an eight-year-long political crisis.

Ivory Coast Is Far From Target

Portugal are not here in South Africa to be stopped by Ivory Coast. The Portuguese have farther ambition and deeper motivation. The Seleccao want to be seen side by side with top flight squads like Spain, Germany, Italy and Brazil. They’re hoping to brace through the first round and negotiate the rest of the competition. But Ivory Coast may be important in their passage. The Ivorians may hinder or slow their pace.

But Cristiano Ronaldo’s presence is worth telling. The 25-year-old is as terrible as a dragon, and he alone may decide for Portugal. With his pace, missile shots and dribbles, Ivory Coast’s defence and Goalkeeper may face hard times.

Secondly, Portugal’s defence is solid enough to contain Ivory Coast’s sharp attacking line manned by Gervinho, Aruna Dindane and Salomon Kalou. The battle will be tense, and may likely demand the investment of not just strength, talent and precision, but also of inspiration.

FORM GUIDE

Cote d’Ivoire

WON 2-0 (n) Japan (Friendly, June 4)

DREW 2-2 (n) Paraguay (Friendly, May 30)

LOST 2-0 (n) South Korea (Friendly, March 3)

LOST 3-2 (n) Algeria (Africa Cup of Nations, January 24)

WON 3-1 (n) Ghana (Africa Cup of Nations, January 15)

Portugal

WON 3-0 (n) Mozambique (Friendly, June 8)

WON 3-1 (h) Cameroon (Friendly, June 1)

DREW 0-0 (h) Cape Verde (Friendly, May 25)

WON 2-0 (h) China (Friendly, March 3)

WON 1-0 (a) Bosnia and Herzegovina (World Cup playoff, November 18)

TEAM NEWS

Ivory Coast

Coach Sven-Goran Eriksson declared last night that only Didier Drogba can decide whether he will play or not during the Ivory Coast-Portugal encounter. However, the Chelsea’s hit man was seen on TV during yesterday’s training session. Nobody is sure yet of his participation.

Probable Starting XI: Barry; K. Toure, Eboue, Boka, Tiene; Y. Toure, Zokora; Gervinho, Romaric, Tiote; Drogba

Portugal

Nani has been sent back to Portugal because of his injury complaint, and will certainly not play. Winger Simao has been suffering from exhaustion but should be fit to start on the left flank, with Cristiano Ronaldo on the right.

Probable Starting XI: Eduardo; Miguel, Carvalho, Alves, Duda; Meireles, Veloso; Simao, Deco, Ronaldo; Almeida

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Ivory Coast

Aruna Dindane

With the absence of Didier Drogba upfront, Aruna Dindane, with his skill of dancing with the ball, precision in giving passes and force of penetration into any penalty area, may give the Portuguese back line a headache. His pace and tough form gives him a strong conditional equilibrium to withstand any marking.
Portugal

Cristiano Ronaldo

This is one man who could decide the game. We hope Ivory Coast’s coach has prepared a smart marker, capable of swerving along with the Real Madrid’s playmaker, and also capable of breaking his shots before they fly; and most importantly, capable of keeping fouls committed further from the penalty area, which Ronaldo can crack into the back net.

PREDICTION

The match will be a showdown as both teams are diehard with their personal ambitions at the World Cup, but Portugal, if they could score in the first 25 minutes, would carry the day, as Ivory Coast’s are slow to come back. But if the Elephants could hold their own till the first part of the second half, a last minute goal may give the day to the West Africans.

Portugal 2-1 Ivory Coast