Brazilian challenge gives Ivory Coast a chance to surpass expectations

With the criticism of FIFA executive Amos Adamu ringing in their ears, Ivory Coast know that improvements must be made against Brazil on Sunday evening if they are to stay in the World Cup beyond the group stage.

Speaking after the first round of games, Adamu criticised all of the African teams competing in the tournament.

“These teams are so haphazardly put together,” he told BBC’s African sport programme Fast Track. “With some countries like Nigeria, the coach does not know the players. He just met the players less than four weeks before the World Cup and the players are on their own.”

While this last comment was directed at Lars Lagerback’s Super Eagles, the parallels with Sven Goran Eriksson’s recent recruitment as Elephants manager will not escape attention.

The manner of the performance in their first match, a 0-0 draw with Portugal, supports the idea of Ivory Coast as a team without cohesion. The defensive preference of the manager failing to gel with the attacking instincts and 4-3-3 formation the team are used to.

But against Brazil the Elephants will be confident of continuing where North Korea left off in their 2-1 defeat to the South American giants, with attack as the best form of defence.

Brazil manager Dunga conceded that his team’s opening opponents were neither as poor, nor as defensive as expected. “When we come across a team that is also offensive it creates the necessary space,” Dunga explained, “but it is very difficult against some teams to develop a counter-attack.”

But experienced player Gilberto Silva warned against attacking the five-time champions too much. “There is a difference when you play against the biggest teams,” he said in anticipation of the Ivory Coast game, “they want to win also and then that opens the game up. That creates more chances to score.”

Silva is likely to keep his place as a defensive midfielder in a 4-2-2-2 formation, with the under performing Luis Fabiano partnering the impressive Robinho in attack. Real Madrid Galactico Kaka came into the tournament as one of the most highly rated players in the world. He was outshone against North Korea, but Ivory Coast will know better than to take his threat lightly.

The Elephants have no new injury worries, and could be boosted by the return of their own superstar, Didier Drogba, to the starting line up if his broken elbow has sufficiently healed. After impressing as Drogba’s stand in against Portugal, Gervinho, the Ivorian with a Brazilian nickname, will consider himself unlucky if he is demoted to the bench ahead of Salomon Kalou or Aruna Dindane to make way for the returning captain.

Barry will continue in goal, while Didier Zokora’s pace will see him stay as a makeshift central defender to combat the speed of the Brazilian attack. Alongside him will be Kolo Toure, Siaka Tiene and Guy Demel who, like Zokora, is one yellow card away from suspension.

The midfield three will see the battling expertise of Yaya Toure, Cheik Tiote and Emmanuel Eboue compliment the undecided front line. Eboue is confident that Ivory Coast can keep another clean sheet against Brazil, praising Eriksson for the stability he has brought to the team. “We are so happy to have Eriksson as our manager because now when we play we are more solid and compact, “said the Arsenal defender. “Every player feels very well and we’ve got confidence in ourselves.”

A positive result for the Elephants will pour pressure onto Portugal ahead of the Europeans’ match against North Korea on Monday. A defeat for Ivory Coast, however, and a win for Portugal, will leave Eriksson’s side in need of a large favour from Brazil in the last group game.

But few opponents in this World Cup pose such an attacking threat as Brazil, and while going for broke is not yet necessary, Ivory Coast have very little room for error. Having already surpassed their achievements in 2006, by the virtue of qualification for the second round remaining a possibility for the final group match, their fate is still in their own hands.

Whether Adamu’s criticism of the lacklustre display by African nations at this World Cup will have any effect on the team many believe represent the continent’s best chance of success is yet to be seen. But after a battling draw against the team ranked third best in the world, they will know that a similar result, or even better, against the team ranked in first place is also in their own hands.

North Korea exposed old criticisms of Brazil’s defensive capabilities on Tuesday, as well as the effectiveness of a solid, organised approach. With neither side having too many flaws to expose, however, another battling draw seems a good bet. But with Ivory Coast on the eve of their biggest ever World Cup match, Eriksson, Drogba and the rest of the team will know that they have a real chance of a famous victory, a victory for the whole of Africa to cheer.