JOHANNESBURG Ivory Cost face Brazil at Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg today, hoping that another good showing in their second match of the tournament will yield maximum points. (Pictured: The Elephants of Ivory Coast)
The Elephants put on an impressive performance in their opening Group G match last week against 2006 World Cup semi-finalists Portugal at the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium. The matched ended in a goalless draw but should have left the West Africans with real hope of making the second round.
But the Sven Goran Erikson-coached West Africans will have to raise their game against record five-time world champions Brazil if they are to emerge from todays encounter with a chance of wrapping things up against North Korea in their final group game in Nelspruit on June 25. Brazil who were made to sweat for 2-1 victory against North Korea will be more focused against Cote dIvore.
The Samba Boys’ veteran midfielder, Gilberto Silva, last week said after watching Ivory Coast play Portugal, they considered the Elephants a very strong and dangerous side.
“Sundays game will be a tough game because the Ivory Coast have such a good team, but we are very confident that we can do well and win that game as well,” aid the 33-year-old Panathinaikos player. What is important for us is that we go there and get the results, which is what we came for.” Gilberto said he was looking forward to his first clash against Ivory Coast defenders Emmanuel Eboue and Kolo Toure who were his teammates during his days at Arsenal.
I am hoping to meet Eboue and Toure and I wish them all the best in this competition, but not in this match that we will play against them, said Gilberto, adding; We also expect Didier Drogba to be on the field against us because he is a very important player for them. He has the appetite for goals and we have to be very careful. Drogba, risked in the closing stages of the opening match, might start today to boost his teams attack against the Brazilians.
Tomorrows clash between Portugal and North Korea at Cape Towns Green Point stadium completes the Group G bill for this weekend. In other matches lined-up for today, Group F sees Slovakia and Paraguay clashing at 1.30pm at the Free State stadium in Mangaung before Italy and New Zealand lock horns in Nelspruit at 4pm. Tomorrow in Group H European champions Spain who were shocked 1-0 by Switzerland in their opening 2010 World Cup encounter on Wednesday take on Honduras who also lost their opener 0-1 to Chile.
Post published in: Zimbabwe Sports News