Saturday, 14th June
Group C
Côte d'Ivoire vs  Japan in Recife.
Match Preview
Côte d'Ivoire and Japan have never met at a World Cup Finals,
although they did play each other in Sion, Switzerland; prior to South Africa 2010.
Côte d'Ivoire won the game (2:0) but it didn't help them advance from
the group stage in South Africa; while Japan went on to reach the Second Round.
The Match
A kick-off at 3am Central European Time meant that not many people
outside of Africa or Asia would have watched this game live.
Although Didier Drogba was left on the bench, his second-half
introduction sparked Côte d'Ivoire into life.
0:1
Keisuke Honda gave Japan the lead, sixteen minutes into the game, after finding enough
room to manoeuvre the ball from his right to left foot and put his head down to fire past
Boubacar Barry.
Four minutes later, Japan might have extended their lead had Atsuto
Uchida looked for someone in a better position rather than shooting himself.
Half-time: Côte d'Ivoire 0 - Japan 1
1:1
Just two minutes after Didier Drogba arrived on the pitch, in place of Serey Die, Côte
d'Ivoire were back in the game; Wilfried Bony heading home Serge Aurier's cross.
2:1
Côte d'Ivoire went ahead after another cross by Serge Aurier, two minutes later, and
another header; this time by former Arsenal striker, Gervinho.
Didier Drogba may not have been directly involved in the goals but his
appearance on the pitch had the positive effect required. Job done.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Final Score: Ivory Coast 2 - Japan 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Goalscorers:
0:1 - Keisuke Honda (16 mins)
1:1 - Wilfried Bony (64 mins)
2:1 - Gervinho (66 mins)
Teams
Côte d'Ivoire:
1-Boubacar Barry; 17-Serge Aurier, 22-Sol Bamba, 5-Didier Zokora, 3-Arthur Boka; 9-Cheick
Tiote, 19-Yaya Toure, 20-Serey Die; 10-Yao Gervinho, 12-Wilfried Bony, 8-Salomon Kalou.
Japan:
1-Eiji Kawashima; 2-Atsuto Uchida, 6-Masato Morishige, 22-Maya Yoshida, 5-Yuto Nagatomo;
16-Hotaru Yamaguchi, 17-Makoto Hasebe, 9-Shinji Okazaki, 4-Keisuke Honda; 10-Shinji
Kagawa, 18-Yuya Osako.
 Referee: Enrique Osses - Chile 
 4 yellow cards:
23 mins - Maya Yoshida (Japan)
54 mins - Sol Bamba (Ivory Coast)
58 mins - Didier Zokora (Ivory Coast)
64 mins - Masato Morishige (Japan)
 Colombia vs Greece 
2014 World Cup Finals - Knockout Stage.
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