"I think I am not in the best condition to analyse it. At this moment, my feeling is stronger than
my reason."
Those were the words of Jorge Fossati, the coach of newly-crowned Asian Champions Al Sadd, deep in
the bowels of Jeonju World Cup Stadium on Saturday evening. The Uruguayan had just watched a
fantastic final in which his team overcame favourites and host Jeonbuk Motors thanks to a penalty
shootout.
'Qatari club... failed to qualify for the tournament and was only granted entry after a Vietnamese
team was barred for failing to submit the correct documentation... Al Sadd lost both legs in the
quarterfinals but still made it to the last four. After losing, 1-0, at home to Sepahan, the Asian
confederation gave the losers a 3-0 win after discovering that the Iranian team had fielded an
ineligible player.
I wonder if I'm the only one in the UK, without a vested interest in either side, who is
watching this. To access this on the red button you have to bypass Portugal v Brazil. But this game
promises goals. Not just because North Korea capitulated after they made their own substitutions,
but because in winning, Ivory Coast need a nine goal swing, as well as a Portugal defeat in the
other game.
Brazil outclassed Ivory Coast and put three points on the board last night. They did so amidst the
cynical tackles and rough plays by Les Elephants. The likes of the Toure brothers, Kalou, Dindane
and Drogba could not cope with the passing and movement of the Selecao.
The physical challenges made the game less free-flowing and unfortunately it hampered Brazil's
attacking rhythm.
The Real Madrid forward was dismissed by French referee Stephane Lannoy for what he deemed to be
two bookable offences, the second of which was a collision with IvoryCoast's Kader Keita who appeared to make a meal of the contact.
AH, the passion. Ivory Coast lose 1-3 to Brazil and the African team's manager erupts. The Ivory
Coast manager is one Sven Goran Eriksson, and his face as his side got well beaten should remind
England fans and John Terry what went before.
Pictures from this match, including Kader Keita's cheating to get Kaka red-carded.
... Sometimes, those of us who love and enjoy the game of soccer on all stages get upset and
offended when those who either don't like, or don't understand, the sport gloss it as a theatre of
unsportsmanlike cheaters who will dive or play-act at all costs to get their way.
Unfortunately, we must stand tonight and say - they're right.
Ivory Coast may have lost the match against Brazil and with it the chance to advance to the
group of 16 but they exacted some revenge by getting Kaka sent off.
The match degenerated into farce as Abdel Kader Keita goes down like clutching his face as if
he's been attacked by a swarm of bees when he runs into Kaka.
New Zealand earned the biggest result in its history by holding the reigning World Cup champions
to a shocking 1-1 draw on Sunday.
Determined defending by Ryan Nelsen and the rest of New Zealand's back line helped post the most
surprising result of the World Cup, as Italy failed to score from the run of play in its second
consecutive Group F match.
Brazil 3-1 Ivory Coast
2010 FIFA World Cup
20 June 2010
Brazil would clinch a spot in the next round of the tournament with a 3-1 win over the Ivory
Coast. Most of the headlines will probably focus on the end of the match where it turned physical
between the two sides and Kaka was sent off for a red card (second yellow).
Brazil beat the team many consider the most talented in Africa 3-1, with all thee goals bring
impressive for various reasons. But while Brazil were deadly in patches, they weren't exactly
dominant, and the team got dragged into petty retaliations that resulted in Kaka getting sent
off.
It was meant to be a mouthwatering tie in a potentially explosive Group G. Drogba's Ivory Coast
against Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal. What took place was a match which did not live up to the hype
it created. Both team employed a cat-and-mouse approach and while Portugal had much of the
possession, they lacked a sharp edge in attack.
Boubacar Barry has 45 caps during his international career and the keeper is considered one of
the better ones in Africa. Barry plays for German side Lokeren and is one of the few goalies in
Africa to play in a major league.
One of Paraguay's most prolific scorers is in a fight for his life.
Salvador Cabanas, a starting striker for the Paraguyan national team and Club America in Mexico,
was shot in the head in the bathroom of a Mexico City bar on Monday. He is listed in critical
condition.
A last gasp goal from Kader Keita appeared to be enough to see Ivory Coast past Algeria in this
pulsating African Nations Cup tie but Majid Bougherra scored a dramatic equalizer to force extra
time and Hameur Bouazza then put Algeria ahead in extra time.
We've been nominated for a shiny award, please VOTE FOR US!
It was billed as the game of the groups, the tournament's two favorites coming in and, with
Ivory Coast's disappointing show against Burkina Faso in the books, it was as close as ever. Then
the whistle went for 90 minutes and Ghana were left wondering what the hell just happened. Ivory
Coast won 3-1, but the scoreline hardly tells the story.
Ivory Coast v Ghana
African Cup of Nations 2010
Friday, January 15 2010
Kick-off: 18:30 (GMT)
Chimandela, Cabinda
Do Or Die Mission For Elephants
After failing to seize three points against Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast know that their destiny in
Angola is at stake and any false move in their second group match could prove to be fatal.
The first of the five African qualifiers for World Cup 2010 is now known after Ghana got the vital
three points they needed in their 2-0 win over Sudan yesterday.
The Ghanaians reached their second successive Finals with a fourth straight win to put them out of
reach of second placed Mali in Group D.
Brazil was the better team today and judging from their overall World Cup record, it should be
no surprise that they were winners once again. In fact Didier Drogba's goal off of a beautiful
cross was the first ever by any African nation against the World Cup giants. But that would be
the only excitement mustered by Les Elephantes and the best African team will find themselves in
tough position needing a win against North Korea next week.
1 Boubacar BARRY 30/12/1979 P Lokeren (BEL)2 Brou ANGOUA 28/11/1986 DF Valenciennes
(FRA)3 Arthur BOKA 02/04/1983 DF VfB Stuttgart (GER)4 Kolo TOURE 19/03/1981 DF
Manchester City (ENG)5 Didier ZOKORA 14/12/1980 MC Sevilla FC (ESP)6 Steve GOHOURI
08/02/1981 DF Wigan (ENG)7 Seydou DOUMBIA 31/12/1987 DL Young Boys (SUI)8 Salomon
KALOU 05/08/1985 DL Chelsea (ENG)9 Ismael TIOTE 21/06/1986 MC Twente Enschede (NED)10
GERVINHO 27/05/1987 DL Lille (FRA)11 Didier DROGBA 11/03/1978 DL Chelsea (ENG)12
Jean Jacques GOSSO 15/03/1983 MC Mónaco (FRA)13 ROMARIC 04/06/1983 MC Sevilla FC
(ESP)14 Emmanuel KONE 31/12/1986 MC International (ROU)15 Aruna DINDANE 26/11/1980 DL
Portsmouth (ENG)16 Aristide ZOGBO 30/12/1981 P Maccabi Netanya (ISR)17 Siaka TIENE
22/02/1982 DF Valenciennes (FRA)18 Kader KEITA 06/08/1981 DL Lyon (FRA)19 Yaya TOURE
13/05/1983 MC Barcelona (ESP) (foto)20 Guy DEMEL 13/06/1981 DF Hamburgo SV (GER)21
Emmanuel EBOUE 04/06/1983 DF Arsenal (ENG)22 Souleymane BAMBA 13/01/1985 DF Hibernian
(SCO)23 Daniel YEBOAH 13/11/1984 P ASEC Mimosas (CIV)
Director Técnico: Sven Göran ERIKSSON (SWE)caligula
As the African Cup of Nations 2010 reaches the semi finals stage I thought we might revive an
interesting feature that we ran for the 2008 tournament in Ghana on Just Football, namely
Goalwatch. Its an oldie but a goodie, in which we tracked every goalscorer as well as the domestic
league they play in, in order to bring you a list of the leagues that contribute most to African
Cup of Nations success.
Vahid Halilhodzic soltou a lista do jogadores convocados para a Copa Africana das Nações em
Angola (10-31 janeiro 2010). O grupo conta com uma raridade entres as grandes nações
futebolísticas africanas: um jogador da liga do doméstica, Vincent Angban, goleiro do Mimosas, é
o felizardo. Brasil e Portugal vão observar com bastante atenção o seu adversário na Copa do
Mundo neste evento disputado em um país de língua portuguesa.
Al Sadd are desperate for silverware after two years without a single title at the domestic and
international levels. The team signed three players who competed in the recently-concluded World
Cup in South Africa — Ivorian Abdul Kader Keita, Algerian Nadir Belhadj and South Korean Lee
Jung-Soo.
Adrian Clarke & Iain Spragg have World Cup mutiny on top of the agenda in today's pint size
Soccerlens World Cup podcast, analysing in particular the bizarre actions of England and France
in their respective training camps.
Kader Keita's disgraceful act of unsportmanship, New Zealand's joy and European football's
struggles also crop up in conversation too.
With the Turkcell Super League season now going into its last four weeks, the usual contenders
are in the race for the title. With Beşiktaş losing to Fenerbahçe over the weekend, it seems
as though Beşiktaş is out of the title race, leaving Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray to slug it out
over the title.
Jogaram pelas quartas de final da Copa Africana de Nações, no dia 24-01-2010, na cidade de
Cabinda, as seleções da Costa do Marfim (22º no ranking da FIFA) e a seleção da Argélia (31º
do ranking da FIFA). As 2 seleções estão classificadas para a próxima Copa do Mundo, África do
Sul 2010.
Just some random odds and ends for you to read as you bide your time waiting for Lyon's
Champions League clash with Liverpool.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
< Sid's Serious Captain-y Face.
If you're wondering why the captain's armband showed up on Cris last Saturday,
despite Sidney Govou also being on the pitch, it's because our dear (former?
