Ivory Coast pray for goal haul
Reuters - Thursday 24 June 2010, 20:26
NELSPRUIT, South Africa, June 24 (Reuters) - Ivory Coast
need to score a hatful of goals against North Korea to have any
chance of reaching the World Cup second round although coach
Sven-Goran Eriksson warned they could not attack with abandon.
"We're going to try to attack - absolutely," Eriksson told
reporters on the eve of their final group match. "You can't
really just attack with everything you have because if you see
North Korea ... they will punish you if you do that."
The Swede said striker Didier Drogba would again lead the
team though he would bring in some fresh faces and keep a close
eye on the Portugal-Brazil match as they play out the finale of
what is probably the toughest group.
After a goalless draw with Portugal and 3-1 defeat by Group
G favourites Brazil, the Ivory Coast players looked on in horror
as Portugal battered underdogs North Korea 7-0 leaving the
Africans' hopes slipping away as the goals piled up.
They need a miracle to qualify with a nine-goal swing
required to repair their languishing goal difference and must
also hope already-qualified Brazil beat Portugal. But Eriksson
said he would not put undue pressure on his team.
"You can't really go and tell your players to go out and
score, well, (the) eight or nine we must score if Brazil wins
1-0, because that's not realistic," he said.
Eriksson added he would start African Footballer of the Year
Drogba because he was essential to their attack, but said the
west Africans must also defend well against the Asian side.
"We're going to make some changes in the team - not a
revolution because there is no need... but I'm going to give a
chance to a couple of others from the beginning."
Eriksson said he had previously travelled to North Korea and
offered advice to their current coach Kim Jong-hun and other
soccer officials, a move he may regret on Friday.
"It's strange that tomorrow they are opponents," he said,
laughing.