Sunday, January 29, 2012

| by

0

30.01. (Mon) 19:00 Ivory Coast - Angola

CAN 2012 : Ivory Coast
Panoramic

PROBABLE LINEUPS

COTE D'IVOIRE


Barry
Lolo, K Toure, Bamba, Tiene
Gosso, Y Toure, Tiote
Kalou, Drogba, Gervinho
ANGOLA

 
Wilson
Zuela, Dany, Mingo Bile, Andre Macanga
Dédé, Gilberto, Miguel Quiame, Mateus
Djalma, Manucho
The last group fixture between Ivory Coast and Angola is a battle for group supremacy. The west Africans are at the summit of Group B with six points while the southern Africans follow with four. The Elephants have already earned their slot in the knockout stage, but the Black Antelopes, have to fight for at least a point to progress.

The odds favour the star-studded Ivorians – pre-tournament favourites – and judging from their performances in their last two games it is clear coach Francois Zahoui’s side are aiming for glory. This could be a test game to try out a few new faces for his side since they have already progressed, but the same cannot be said for coach Lito Vidigal and his charges.

The experienced Palancas Negras find themselves in a tricky position and need not rely on the Sudan-Burkina Faso game to qualify, but they will do their best to at least steal a point in this game so that they make it to the quarter-finals.

Angola keeper Carlos Fernandes collected yellow cards in the last two games, so he will be suspended for this encounter and could be replaced by Primeiro de Agosto shot-stopper Wilson.

Chelsea and Cote d'Ivoire striker Salomon Kalou left the pitch injured against Burkina Faso, clutching his hamstring in what seemed to be a muscle pull, but the team doctors have said that it is a minor problem that subsided and he is expected to start the game against Angola.
DID YOU KNOW?


  • Cote d’Ivoire have not conceded a goal or lost a game yet in this tournament.
  • The man in charge of the Elephants’ is a local coach who could make a name for himself with this competition after they have tried out several expatriate coaches with poor results.
  • The last time the west Africans won the Afcon trophy was in 1992 in an 11-10 marathon penalty shootout against Ghana in Senegal.
  • Angola will crash out of the tournament if they lose this game and Sudan win their match against Burkina Faso convincingly.
  • The 2010 Nations Cup hosts have won one game, drawn one, scored four goals and conceded three.
  • The Palancas Negras finished at the quarter-final stage in the last two editions of the tournament.
Prediction
It will be a tight game with both sides aiming to finish on a high note. A win means a great deal for the Angolans, but the Ivorians will not want to lose a single game to live up to their billing as pre-tournament favourites.
Editor's Prediction
Cote d'Ivoire 1-1 Angola