| Côte d'Ivoire - Togo
1 : 1
Before the match:
Côte d'Ivoire who
are considered strong enough to spoil the plans of either Cameroon or Ghana,
are in danger to become victim of a similar scenario here. They are clear
favorites but Togo has been a constantly improving site and despite problems
in calling up star-striker Bashirou Salou from Germany they will seek to
spoil at least the plans of one of the three group giants. (Bashirou Salou
yet has opted for staying with the club although Togo has included him
on the official players list in hope to persuade him to a out-of-nothing
appearance).
If the Ivorian 'Elephants'
can find their inspiration and magic, they will be hard to stop. But the
new face of the squad that traditionally arrives with a new coach has had
fewer match practice that the opponents. At Togo watch out for talent Maman
Cherif Maman Touré (#10) in his competition with Côte d'Ivoire
playmaker Tchiressoua Guel (#14).
C.A.F.
stats:
C. D’IVOIRE: 1-Alain Gouamene,
3-Patrice Zere, 4-Lassina Diabete, 12-Serge Die, 7-Ibrahima Kone, 8-Didier
Angan, 15- Bonaventure Kalou Charles Dago 84), 17-Cyrille Domoraud, 10-
Ibrahima Bakayoko (11-Hamed Modibo Diallo, 76), 14-Tchiressoa Guel, 21-Donaldo-Olivier
Sie (13-Aliou Siby Badra, 73)
TOGO 16-Kossi Agassa, 2-Messan Ametokodo 14-Franck Atsou 46), 4-Massamesso
Tchangai, 5-Yaovi Abalo, 3-Yao Senaya, 12-Yao Aziawonou (13-Komlan Assignon,
36), 7-Tadjou Salou, 8-Lantame Ouadja, 10-Maman Sherif Toure, 17-Abdelkader
Coubadja, 9-Koffi Fiawoo (20-Djima Oyawole, 46)
Scorers:
C. d’Ivoire - Tchiresso Guel 38pen
Togo - Lantame Ouadja 62
Referee: Tessema Hailemalak (ETH)
Ass. Referees: Tawfik Adjengi (TUN), Wagih Ahmed (EGY)
Reserve referee: Mourad Daami (TUN)
1st half:
The omnipresent brass
bands are playing the rhythm for the match...
-('3) First test for the
Togolese goalkeeper
-('6) Togo crosses the midfield
line the first time, Ivorians make ball control look easy
-('7) CIV: Guel sets first
accents
The match looks as follows:
Togo with only few players upfront, reches midfield, Ivorians conquer the
ball and try to play out the opponent with a neat passing game but yet
have not cracked the crowded Togo defence. The few times Togo is in the
Ivorian half they sometimes switch and put pressure on the build-up of
the Ivorians even after losing ball.
-('13) CIV: Beatiful attack
ends with deflected shot - corner - this brings a one man counter-attack
by the fast Togo (#17) Coubadja who has to be stopped by a bodycheck.and
gets carried off. Free kick sails wide and #17 returns to play on.
-('16) exciting save of
the Togolese keeper against a Kalou shot, but whistled a doubtful offside
The Ivorians make the
ball and their opponents run. First signs of panic and vertigo in the Togo
defence: If the Elephants continue like this they will have their opponents
tired and unconcentrated sooner or later.
-('24) Togo: A Maman Touré
shot is blocked, the fast counter attack ends with a fine clearing by a
Togolese defender
Côte d'Ivoire has
11 conspicious players yet, among them Kalou and Donald Sie. Togolese make
a good fending effeort yet. Most counter attempts run by Maman Touré.
-('28) a brilliant Donald
Sie solo sets up a big Bakayoko opportunity, but a defender can deflect
-('35) an early Togo replacement:
#13 Assignon, a midfielder comes in.
-('37) a counter attack
concludes in Bakayoko tripping over the keeper, penalty (and yellow card),
Guel scores low left. Goalkeeper in the right corner but without chance
- 1:0
-('41) Maman Touré
continues to distribute his visit crads
-('42) He sets up #17 who's
shot is saved by the Ivorian keeper Guamene
-(43) CIV: nice attack has
played DOnald Sie free 14 meters to the goal but his shot goes far wide
-('44) Togo: spectacular
shot by the replacement #13 and Guamene saves
-(''injury time) another
great save by Guamene
-('injury time) the following
corner sees a goal for Togo, but it is ruled illegal either for offside
or for checking the keeper. Gouamene gets treated, #22 is warming up for
the emergency case, but Gouamene plays on.
Halftime: 1:0
Côte d'Ivoire look
superiour but Togo play a fine strategy to keep the scoreline close and
even came within reach of an equaliser. The referee pleased with unobtrusiveness.
The two major decisions he had to take seemed o.k..
Looking for a halftime
snack? Want to create some restaurant atmosphere?
(will open in a new window)
2nd
half:
-('49) First scene for Togo
with #17 shot denied for a corner
The 1:0 seems to have
brought a motivation shift away from CIV and towards Togo. Players have
to take long looks until they find somebody to pass the ball onto.
-('54) CIV: Good opportunity
for #7 Kone but wide
-(''56) Togo: Good attack
of the fast #17
-('57) CIV: Kalou dangerous,
but keeper can deflect the ball, saves a Serge Die shot at the following
corner
-('62) The long deserved
equaliser: Fine sharp ball in from the left site (#3 Senaya) and at the
right goal post #8 Ouadja puts his foot in and scores - 1:1
-('71) Dangerous Togo free
kick: a low sharp shot from sharp but another Togolese player runs in and
deflects. #3 Senaya a driving force now.
-('72) CIV still attacks
but cannot create major chances
-(''75) CIV: Ivorian footballer
of the year 1998 Siby Badra and the best striker of the qualification
Modibo Diallo are brought in to turn it around
-('77) Togo: The increasingly
conspicious #17 alone against three wins a free kick with 18 meter distance
to the goal: it is hammered into the wall
Ivorians have lost inspiration
and magic completely. Togo looks confident, wins balls.
-('83) Togo: #17 stopped
in the last moment by a defender. CIV: Diallo by the Togolese keeper
-(''89) CIV: Dangerous Serge
Die cross missed by two players
-('injury time) last minute
excite ment in front of the Togolese goal but several players miss the
sharp shot in
Final result: 1:1
The lead was poison for
the Ivorians, before looking inspired, after then paralysied. Togo grew
stronger and stronger. In the final minutes the Ivorians tried to fight
back but they seemed to have lost the keys on the way. Would the experienced
master of the African game Joel Tiehi have made a difference? An academic
question. The doubt is one of the worst enemies for a game that depends
on inspiration. This match was a blow to Ivorian confidence and a boost
for their next oponent Cameroon.
Togo have seen they can
compete with the big boys. Their next opponent is Ghana, already nervous:
Togo beat them 1998 at Burkina Faso in a lucky one. |
Zusammenfassung
in Deutsch ]
