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| June 10, 2006 | Saturday | Jumadi-ul-Awwal 13, 1427 |
Newcomers Ivory Coast plot upset win over Argentina
NUREMBERG, June 9: Ivory Coast are the latest African team who believe they can take a shot at glory starting with an upset win over Argentina on their World Cup debut.
African nations have been threatening for years to upset the established hierarchy and the Ivorians aim to pick up the baton held by Senegal who reached the quarter-finals four years ago.
They fancy their chances of beating twice world champions Argentina on Saturday and going on to bigger things in their first appearance at the world's showpiece tournament.
Argentina are also talking confidently ahead of the game at the AOL Arena in Hamburg with two more tough Group C games to come in the shape of Serbia & Montenegro and the Netherlands.
However, the memory of Cameroon in 1990 still hangs over the Argentines who are fully aware that Diego Maradona's title holders lost 1-0 in the opening match of the Italy tournament.
Ivory Coast defender Kolo Toure knows all about that match but said they would not underestimate their opponents.
“We all know how dangerous Argentina are. It will be a great test for us. (Roberto) Ayala is a hero of mine.”
Ivory Coast know they must reach the last eight to emulate the achievement of Cameroon in 1990 and Senegal in 2002.
Argentina will be happy if they can repeat their opening result in Japan in 2002 when they beat another African team, Nigeria, 1-0 with a Gabriel Batistuta header.
Argentina's highest World Cup scorer has handed over the striking role to his perennial reserve Hernan Crespo, who has said the worst experience of his footballing life was their country's shock early exit from the last tournament.
It is this memory that drives coach Jose Pekerman's new Argentina as they set out to win a third title.
“We have a debt which is to take Argentina as high as possible,” said Argentina's captain Juan Pablo Sorin.
Argentina appear set to take the game to Ivory Coast with Javier Saviola as Crespo's strike partner and Maxi Rodriguez on the right wing looking to get behind the defence.
They may have problems on the left flank, though, where right back Emmanuel Eboue loves to make attacking runs that will put pressure on Sorin and central defender Gabriel Heinze.
Eboue can provide ammunition for captain Didier Drogba and Heinze has stressed the importance of neutralising the threat by cutting out the diagonal balls into the middle that the striker loves and ensuring he does not ghost in at the far post.
Pekerman may need to send on the talented light brigade of Lionel Messi, Carlos Tevez and 2002 veteran Pablo Aimar to dance their way past the towering Ivorian defenders if Juan Roman Riquelme's playmaking fails to break the deadlock.
Probable teams:
ARGENTINA (4-4-2): 1-Roberto Abbondanzieri; 21-Nicolas Burdisso, 2-Roberto Ayala, 6-Gabriel Heinze, 3-Juan Pablo Sorin; 18-Maxi Rodriguez, 8-Javier Mascherano, 5-Esteban Cambiasso, 10-Juan Roman Riquelme; 7-Javier Saviola, 9-Hernan Crespo.
Coach: Jose Pekerman.
IVORY COAST (4-4-2): 1-Jean-Jacques Tizie; 21-Emmanuel Eboue, 4-Kolo Toure, 6-Blaise Kouassi, 2-Arthur Boka; 7-Emerse Fae, 19-Yaya Toure, 5-Didier Zokora, 3-Kanga Akale; 9-Arouna Kone, 11-Didier Drogba.
Coach: Henri Michel.
Referee: Frank de Bleeckere (Belgium).—Reuters
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