SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - Ivory coast hope for miracle qualification against North Korea

Record ID: 181983

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - Ivory coast hope for miracle qualification against North Korea
  • Date: 25th June 2010
  • Summary: NELSPRUIT, SOUTH AFRICA (JUNE 24, 2010) (REUTERS) IVORY COAST COACH, SVEN GORAN ERIKSSON ARRIVES FOR NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) IVORY COAST COACH, SVEN-GORAN ERIKSSON SAYING: "It's a strange situation in the group, I think we play good football but we are in a situation, which is extremely difficult of course and you can't really go and tell your players to go out and score, I think eight or nine we must score, if Brazil wins 1-0 because that's not realistic. We are going to try to do our best in a strange situation, as I said." JOURNALIST (SOUNDBITE) (English) IVORY COAST COACH, SVEN GORAN ERIKSSON SAYING: "Yes we are going to do some changes in the team, not a revolution because there is no need to do that because I think we have been doing okay... good in these two games but I am going to give a chance to a couple of others from the beginning. But, you know, you really just can't attack with everything you have because if you see North Korea, the game they played against Brazil and the first half against Portugal, they will punish you if you do that. You have to be organized and have the discipline because in football if you don't defend well, you will not attack well." ERIKSSON AND PRESS STAFF (SOUNDBITE) (English) IVORY COAST COACH, SVEN GORAN ERIKSSON SAYING: "Physically, they may not be as big as the Brazilians were, but they can run all day and they are quick, good technique, good football players so it's very difficult to explain. I mean before Portugal scored, North Korea could have scored a goal, they had one or two chances to score a goal. That is why I don't really know what we are going to meet tomorrow, but I guess the team we saw against Brazil, fighting... don,t give you time to play... don,t give you space and so on, so that is what I expect but I really don,t know." JOURNALIST (SOUNDBITE) (English) IVORY COAST COACH, SVEN GORAN ERIKSSON SAYING: "Yes I understand it is a disappointment for the all the continent. Ghana got through yesterday, which is very good for African football, I don,t know how many chances we have, but it is a pity the situation is like it is but we have have a really good football team and they are getting better and better for every training session and I think whatever happens tomorrow, Ivory Coast has a great future as a footballing country and as a footballing team." VARIOUS OF ERIKSSON LEAVING THE CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 10th July 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA7IN9OJKR9LBOISR2L4O7URJG5
  • Story Text: Ivory Coast will make one last desperate bid to win a place in the World Cup last 16 on Friday when they face a North Korea side hoping to salvage some national pride in Friday's (June 25) Group G finale, but coach Sven Goran Eriksson is being sensible about his side's chances.
    The West Africans would need a miracle to get out of a tough group after Portugal whipped the Asian team 7-0, notching up an almost insurmountable goal difference that has left the Ivorians with a very slim chance.
    Ivory Coast must beat North Korea by more than seven goals and hope Brazil overcome Portugal in the other game in the group.
    Eriksson said the team would be going on the pitch with their best game and hoping for the best.
    "It's a strange situation in the group, I think we play good football but we are in a situation, which is extremely difficult of course and you can't really go and tell your players to go out and score, I think eight or nine we must score, if Brazil wins 1-0 because that's not realistic. We are going to try to do our best in a strange situation, as I said," he told journalists at a news conference the night before the match.
    Eirksson also said African Footballer of the Year Didier Drogba, who suffered a fractured arm but played in all three of the side's previous encounters, will also be starting in a slightly different line up on Friday.
    "Yes, we are going to do some changes in the team, not a revolution because there is no need to do that because I think we have been doing okay... good in these two games but I am going to give a chance to a couple of others from the beginning. But you know you really just can't attack with everything you have because if you see North Korea, the game they played against Brazil and the first half against Portugal, they will punish you if you do that. You have to be organized and have the discipline because in football if you don't defend well, you will not attack well," said Eriksson.
    The clash will pit the tournament's fairest team against one of the most physical. North Korea committed only three fouls in the heavy defeat by Portugal while Ivory Coast were penalised for 23 fouls in their fiercely contested match with Brazil.
    North Korea started well with a brave 2-1 loss to Brazil.
    "Physically, they may not be as big as the Brazilians were, but they can run all day and they are quick, good technique, good football players so it's very difficult to explain. I mean before Portugal scored, North Korea could have scored a goal, they had one or two chances to score a goal. That is why I don't really know what we are going to meet tomorrow, but I guess the team we saw against Brazil, fighting... don't give you time to play... don't give you space and so on, so that is what I expect but I really don't know," Eriksson said.
    Ivory Coast were pitted as arguably the strongest of the African teams at this World Cup, carrying the hopes of an expectant continent. Ghana has so far been the only African country to make it through to the next round and the continent will be rooting for a miracle from the Ivorians.
    Eriksson said the team have great potential and skill even if they do not make it through to the next round.
    "Yes I understand it is a disappointment for the all the continent. Ghana got through yesterday, which is very good for African football, I don't know how many chances we have, but it is a pity the situation is like it is but we have have a really good football team and they are getting better and better for every training session and I think whatever happens tomorrow, Ivory Coast has a great future as a footballing country and as a footballing team," Drogba said.
    North Korea are under no competitive pressure to win but, with their rivals South Korea reaching the second round, they will be keen to fight Ivory Coast hard to salvage some pride after the tournament's worst defeat.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register