06.06. (Mon) 21:00 Ukraine - France

DID YOU KNOW?

Ukraine have already qualified for Euro 2012 as hosts along with Poland.
The Yellow-Blues have played a string of international friendlies, with their most recent encounter ending in a comfortable 2-0 win over Uzbekistan last Wednesday.
Before that, Oleg Blokhin's men slipped to a 2-0 defeat to Italy in March.
All-time top scorer Andriy Shevchenko has announced he will retire after next summer's championships. The former Milan and Chelsea star has 45 strikes to his name, three times as much as the next person on the list, Sergey Rebrov.
The Eastern Europeans participated in the Cytavision Cyprus Tournament in February, which they won on penalties against Sweden.
The last time Ukraine hosted Les Bleus was in a Euro 2008 qualifier, in which the sides drew 2-2.
Ukraine lie 35th in the World Rankings.

France laboured to a 1-1 draw against Belarus on Friday.
Despite the setback, they remain top of Group D, four points ahead.
Les Bleus were also below-par in their previous international friendly, in which they could only draw 0-0 with Croatia in March.
Before that however, Laurent Blanc's men recorded impressive wins over England and Brazil.
France prevailed 1-0 in the last time the two nations met in an international friendly, in 2004.
History favours the visitors, they have not tasted defeat against Oleg Blokhin's side in five games.
France occupy 19th position in the World Rankings.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Ukraine (4-3-3)
Pyatov; Kucher, Khacheridi, Mandzyuk, Shevchuk; Tymoshchuk, Rotan; Gusev; Milevskiy, Voronin; Shevchenko

Ukraine boss Oleg Blokhin has singled out the international friendly against France as 'important'. The national team tactician is without the services of some players such as Andriy Yarmolenko who are on U-21 European Championship duty.

Nevertheless, the optimistic coach has set a target of winning Euro 2012 on home soil, and has included the key players in the squad, including talisman Andriy Shevchenko, who recently announced he will be hanging up his boots after next summer's championship.

France (4-2-3-1)
Lloris; Sagna, Sakho, Rami, Evra; M'Vila; Diarra; Nasri; Ribery, Malouda; Benzema

Les Bleus endured a difficult time against Belarus on Friday evening, only mustering a 1-1 draw against their Eastern European opponents.

Laurent Blanc vented his frustration after the game at dropping points, and could be set to experiment with his side on Monday evening, with fringe players such as Marvin Martin and Kevin Gameiro expected to play some part in this friendly.

Prediction

Ukraine are a difficult unit to beat, especially at home, but with no points at stake, and Laurent Blanc's side able to express themselves, their fortunes could well change on Monday evening. A narrow win for the out-of-sorts visitors may well be the most probable result.

Editor's Prediction

Ukraine 1-2 France

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05.06. (Sun) 12:00 Benin - Ivory Coast

Doing their best and leaving the rest

The Benin national team are striving to gather their form amid series of internal crises that have rocked the West African nation’s football of late. Barely a month ago, there were two football federations – one supported by the local authorities while the other had the backing of Caf and Fifa.

Two coaches were drawing two parallel lists of players. The domestic league had been languishing in confusion, several club officials and their players had taken to the streets of Cotonou to protest the generalised imbroglio.

However, some sanity seems to have been injected into the whole system and football is being played again, with local fans yearning to see the Squirrels compete on home turf after their 2-1 semi-debacle against Cote D’Ivoire in Ghana during the 2012 Afcon third round qualifying.

Benin are confronting the Elephants for the umpteenth time, but with little or no lessons learnt from their continuous loss to the Ivorians. Perhaps the star-studded Cote D’Ivoire team naturally outmatch the Benin side or perhaps an inferiority complex sets in even before both teams set out on the pitch.

Nevertheless, Benin are at it again and must engage the likes of Chelsea’s duo Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou, Lille’s Gervinho and Manchester City’s Yaya Toure. With just Stephane Sessegnon of Sunderland, Michaël Poté of Le Man and Metz forward Razack Omotoyossi to count on, together with a bunch of home based elements, the on-paper predictions are not going easily for the hosts.

If coach Fortuné Glèlè can galvanize his troop to throw their all in the clash as if no other was ahead, Benin could check the Ivorians and rake in whatever is to be deserved.

Striking while the iron is hot

With nine points from three games, Cote D’Ivoire are hoping to top up to 12 after Sunday’s meeting in Cotonou. Group H has been deemed by pundits as a cheap gift for the Ivorians who are matched up against minnows Burundi, Rwanda and Benin.

Benin are still trailing Cote D’Ivoire by five points, and any outcome on Sunday will not affect the Ivorian position of the group. Still, claiming three points away from home would do the Elephants much good in negotiating the rest of the campaign.

An early qualification for the 2012 African Cup of Nations would buy coach Francois Zahoui more prestige at the FA and around the country, where a number of fans are yet to be convinced with the performance of the indigenous tactician thus far. He would also have ample time to prepare for the showpiece proper.

Another weight on the coach’s shoulders is sending some joy back home from the encounter in order to pacify millions of Ivorians who are still suffering from the trauma of the five-month post election violence that claimed some 3,000 lives and forced millions to flee their homes.

Didier Drogba and co are conscious of the role football has played in reconciling Ivorians in the past and this will be another opportunity to demonstrate how valuable soccer is in the socio-political life of a nation.

If the Ivorians play their traditional game without underrating the adversary, they are capable of carrying the day, big or small.

TEAM NEWS

Benin

No news of injury was reported at the Squirrels’ press conference on Friday. The 23 players, which include seven locals, had successive training sessions at the match venue of Stade de l’Amitie in Cotonou from Wednesday through Friday.

Squad
Goalkeepers: Guillaume Bèmènou (Chambéry, France), Saturnin Allagbé (ASPAC, Benin), Kenneth Odilo (Soleil, Benin).
Defenders : Romuald Boco (Shanghai East Asia, China), Khaled Adénon (Le Mans, France), Emmanuel Imorou (Chateauroux, France), Réda Johnson (Sheffield United, England), Damien Chrysostome (Denizlispor, Turkey), Arsène Ménessou (Le Havre, France).
Midfielders : Junior Salomon (ASPAC, Benin), Affissou Fayomi (Requins, Benin), Seydath Tchomogo (Al Oruba Club, Oman), Nouhoum Kobénan (Al Madina, Libya), Koukou Djiman (Créteil, France), Jocelyn Ahouéya (Strasbourg, France), Arnaud Séka (Tonnerre, Benin), Mouritala Ogounbiyi (Guingamp, France), Stéphane Sessègnon (Sunderland, England).
Forwards : Michaël Poté (Le Mans, France), Razack Omotoyossi (FC Metz, France), Isaac Louté (Soleil, Benin), Mohamed Aoudou (Tonnerre, Benin).

Cote D’Ivoire

Stuttgart defender Boka Arthur, PSG’s Tiéné Siaka, and Trabzonspor’s new recruit Zokora Didier have been confirmed unfit for the match due to injury. AS Monaco’s Lolo Igor was hurriedly summoned to fill part of the gap.

Squad
Goalkeepers: Barry Boubacar (Lokeren, Belgium), Yeboah Daniel (Asec Mimosas, Ivory), Gnanhouan Gerard (Vannes OC, France)
Defenders : Angoua Brou Benjamin (Valenciennes, France), Gohouri Steve (Wigan, England), Eboue Emmanuel (Arsenal, England), Lolo Igor (OGC NICE, France)
Midfielders: Toure Yaya (Manchester City, England), Coulibaly Kafoumba (OGC NICE, France), Gosso Gosso Jean-Jacques (AS Monaco, France), N’dri Romaric (Sevilla, Spain), Max Gradel (Leeds United, England), Ya Konan Didier (Hannover 96, Germany)
Forwards: Yao Kouassi Gervais (Lille, France), Doumbia Seydou (CSKA Moscow), Didier Drogba (Chelsea, England), Kalou Salomon (Chelsea, England), Keita Abdul Kader (AL Sadd Sport, Qatar), Boni Wilfried Guemiand (SBV Vitesse Arhnem)

PREDICTION

On paper, it would be safe to tip Cote D’Ivoire to beat Benin, but physically, many things come into play that might possibly alter the forecast. However, I would give the Ivorians the nod.

Benin 1-2 Cote D’Ivoire

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05.06. (Sun) 09:30 Australia - New Zealand

DID YOU KNOW?

Australia defeated Germany 2-1 in their only international match since finishing runners-up at the 2011 AFC Asian Cup.

The Socceroos haven't been beaten in normal-time since losing 3-0 to Egypt last November.

Goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, who is ommited from this squad, is Australia's most capped player with 89 appearances. Brett Emerton is equal fourth with 84 caps.

Striker Archie Thompson, who could start against the All Whites, once scored 13 goals in a FIFA World Cup qualifier against American Samoa.

New Zealand haven't won an international match since defeating Serbia 1-0 in a 2010 World Cup warm-up match in May last year. The All Whites are winless in their past eight internationals.

The last time the All Whites scored more than one goal in a friendly was way back in September 2009.

New Zealand were the only undefeated team at the 2010 World Cup.

These two nations have met 61 times, with Australia victorious on 37 occasions, while New Zealand have had 13 wins.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Australia (4-4-2):
Coe; Williams, Spiranovic, McKain, Zullo; Holman, Kilkenny, Valeri, Emerton; Thompson, Kennedy

Socceroos regulars Mark Schwarzer, David Carney and Tim Cahill were left out of this Australia squad by Holger Osieck due to injuries, while Harry Kewell's lack of form saw him overlooked. Australia skipper Lucas Neill is in doubt for this clash too, due to a groin injury.

Osieck has indicated he'll field two virtually separate sides in his two friendlies against New Zealand and then Serbia on Tuesday. The German has said he'll offer opportunities to youngsters against New Zealand with Rhys Williams, Matt Spiranovic, Michael Zullo and James Troisi pushing for a start.

New Zealand (4-4-2):
Moss; Mulligan, Sigmund, Boyens, Fitzgerald; Wood, McGlinchey, Brown, Brockie; Barbarouses, Smeltz

New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert has several headaches for this clash, following the 3-0 loss to Mexico on Thursday. The team are jet lagged after their long flight from the United States, while there's several fresh injury concerns too.

The All Whites are already without skipper Ryan Nelsen due to a long-term knee problem, while Mark Paston, Tony Lochhead, Winston Reid, Simon Elliott, Rory Fallon and Simon Elliott all miss through injury. Veteran Ivan Vicelich is unavailable too, as he's returned to Auckland to attend his sister's wedding.

Prediction

Australia 2-1 New Zealand   

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