Cote d’Ivoire’s Elephant Stampede Faces Uphill Battle

A lot of experts have labeled Cote d’Ivoire the best team to qualify out of Africa. Legendary German footballer Franz Beckenbauer has proclaimed that if the Elephants escape their first round Group of Death matches against Argentina, The Netherlands and Serbia and Montenegro, they could go on to win the tournament.

Why is everyone so impressed by a team that will be playing its first World Cup match ever on June 10th against Argentina?

First you have to look at Didier Drogba, a tremendously skilled forward who scored 9 goals for the national side during its qualifying run. Ironically, it was his arrival at Chelsea that led to Argentine Hernan Crespo’s departure for AC Milan last year. It is going to be fun watching those two battle it out.

The Elephants are more than just a one man show, however. They have a potentially solid backline including Arsenal players Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue, as well as Marseille’s Abdoulaye Meite. Anederlecht’s Aruna Dindane joins Drogba up front to provide a nice one-two scoring punch.

Henri Michel’s side is well tested, qualifying out of an African group that included traditional powerhouses Cameroon and Egypt. But Cameroon and Egypt are not Argentina and The Netherlands.

Will the Elephants prove the experts correct by finishing ahead of one of these giants? The answer to that question will be much clearer on June 10th.

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