the match facts and reports:
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World Cup 2002
- African qualification - week1 match report
Côte
d'Ivoire - Tunisia June
18 1600 GMT
before the match:
A crucial match for Côte
d'Ivoire. To have a chance to qualify for 2002, everything will have to
run perfectly for them. Otherwise the well organized Tunisians will return
to the Finals.
Seen from the other side,
winning at Abidjan would be a big point for Tunisia and give them an advantage
they will unlikely give away again.
1st half:
-match begins with a lot
of midfield challenges and an Ivorian opportunity ('8)
-('12) huge mistake by an
Ivorian defender sets up Zitouni alone in front of the goal, but he hesitates
and a second defender can rob the ball off him
-Tunisia: a perfectly
tuned Gabsi cross on a counter attack is headed into the goal by #7 M'hedhebi
- 0:1
-('20) Kalou has a spectacular
solo but yet the Tunisin defence stands solid
-('22) Tunisia: again
a perfectly played attack against a miserably positioned defence and this
time a cross from the left hand side into the back of the goal-faced defence,
headed in by #10 Ghodbane - 0:2
-('24) El Ouaer saves against
a good attack by Côte d'Ivoire
-('28) another big opportunity
for Côte d'Ivoire but no luck yet
-('29) Zitouni on a break
but the Ivorian keeper rescues
-the Ivorians run, fight
attack, but the Tunisians just play it smart, disciplined and sometimes
great:
-('37) another counter attack
brilliantly played against the open defence, great save for a corner, whih
causes another chance
-('42) Côte d'Ivoire
attacking again
-('injury time) a corner
from the left, headed on to the second goal post where Bakayoko? heads
it into the goal - 1:2
-halftime 30 seconds later
halftime: 1:2
An exciting match with good
Ivorian attacks, ggod Tunisian defending and brilliant Tunissian counter
attacks against a bleak Ivorian defence. But it seems that a part of the
blame has to be put on the Ivorian midfielders who do not seem to follow
their Tunisian counterparts who then are free in the back of the defence
2nd half:
-('47) Ivorian attack along
the right hand side and a giant opportunity but a defender already lying
on the ground in fromt of the empty goal deflects for a corner
-spectacular midfield solo
run by Aruna? (one of the teenage stars of ASEC Abidjan) (the Ivorian numbers
are impossible to read, green on orange)
-great goal by #15 Kalou,
fast attack, cross from the left and flying, he nips it with his foot over
the keeper into the net - 2:2
-('56) a déjà
vu, when on a Tunisian counter attack two Tunisian players are free in
the back of the 4-man-chain defence but this time inaccurate passing spoils
the show
-('64) another time the
brilliant Ivorian attacks (Keita yet unmentioned) take apart the Tunisian
defence and the Tunisians can only rescue themselves by an unallowed back
pass to the keeper.The consequenting indirect free kick is blocked by El
Ouaer with his head, a second shot goes narrowly wide
-a dramatic match, the
Ivorians with some magical attacking now
-('69) Tunisia runs a counter
attack and puts the Ivorians into confusion again
-('73) again Tunisia: #7
great solo run, passes to half right position but the shot is saved
-('78) another Tunisian
counter with 5 against 4, but the defenders, left down by their midfielders
once more, can recover the ball
<some data missing computer
breakdown>
-more opportunities for
Tunisa during the last quarter, although Côte d'ivoire still tries,
but Tunisia seems to have more powers in reserve
-('injury time) but the
last opportunity is a giant one for Côte d'Ivoire: they have the
keeper already played out but several defenders can block the way to the
goal before the referee whistles foul by an attacker against a defender.
it has been the last scene of the match
final result: 2:2
Two very strong teams, the
Tunisians more solid, the Ivorians with brilliance and weaknesses. Tunisia
with this performance looks difficult to stop. Côte d'Ivoire, certainly
the challenger in this group, will need a lot of luck and perfect perfomances
in all upcoming martthes to win this group. |
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