The Ivorian national team know they have a tall order ahead when they face off aganist Togo at Stade d’Oyem on Monday 16th January 2017. Ivory Coast and Togo are two of the continent’s in-form sides which translates to a potentially pulsating game of football.
The Elephants are coached Michael Dussuyer who has installed a solid defensive set-up that teams have found hard to crack. Ivory Coast finished top of the group squeezing through with one win and three three draw in a three team group, testament to Dussurey’s work.
Ironically, they will face a Togolese side brimming with fantastic attacking talent though they are not one of best ranked team on the continent going into the football fiesta. Emmanuel Adebayor comes into the tourney with a lot of experience though he has been without a clubbsince leaving Crystal Palace seven months ago.
Coach Claud Le Roy, the much travelled Frenchman, will have to find a way to end the hoodoo and deliver a first ever Africa Cup of Nations title for the Sparrowhawks.Both teams love to play fluid attacking football but Dussuyer also tends to add a bit of defensive solidity at the back to complement the forwards.
Manchester United’s Eric Bailly is the main man at the back for Ivory Coast . The tough as nails defender will be at the heart of the defence to stop the goals getting past goalkeeper Mande Soyuoba. There is no Didier Zokora this time around but the effervescent Lamino Kone will be the creative force for Ivory Coast with Sunderland’s Wahbi Khazri providing support.Other English Premier League stars on the show tonight include Wilfried Zaha,Kone and Gradel.
Claude Le Roy’s Togo are going to be a threat to any side because of the quality they possess on every part of the field.The defence will be marshalled by Yanga’s Vincent Bossou and Serge Akakpo.
On paper, Elephants are the favourites to top this group that has also DRC and Morocco.Their impressively constistent record at the Nations Cup being rhe finalists in 2006 and 2012 and reached the semifinals in 2008.
For Togo though expected to put a tough opposation they will not be favourites in this match.Sparrowhawks have only won three games in their history and that was the only one in a period of sixteen years.To be in this edition they snatched two slots reserved for best runners-up among the 13 groups contested.
