LiveBlog: Argentina-Ivory Coast

June 10th, 2006 | by: Daryl | Comments(162)

Argentina claimed a 2-1 win over Ivory Coast in a pretty entertaining game. The Argies just about deserved their win, being impressive for 60 minutes, but Ivory Coast’s first World Cup appearance was encouraging.

Read the play-by-play below, and leave your comments about the action.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and left comments. Let’s hope the Ivory Coast can bounce back. Would be a shame if this result ruins their World Cup.

Did anyone correctly predict 2-1 to Argentina?

Great end to end stuff, and plenty of goal-mouth action. Best game of the tournament so far?

90+3 FULL TIME. 2-1 to Argentina. Great late effort by IVC, but the Argentinians definitely deserved the win.

90+2 Riquelme off, Aimar on. Just killing time. Riquelme has been outstanding.

90+ Drogba booked for throwing the ball a little too hard at Argentina’s keeper. 2-1, IVC running out of time.

90- 3 minutes of stoppage time.

87- Lots of IVC pressure. Great high cross from the left, but ref blows for foul as everyone challenges in the air.

86- IVC look lively again. Drogba’s goal was equivelant to 2 cans of Red Bull each.

84- Goal! Goal? No Goal. Rodriguez pounced on a rebound and lifted it over Tizie in the IVC goal, but he was offside. Still 2-1.

83- Argentina may come to regret taking off Crespo and Saviola.

81- Drogba missed the first cross with a header, but it was pulled back to him again and he struck it past Abbo with his left peg. Now we have a game.

81- GOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Drogba, finally! 2-1.

79- Shot high and wide form B. Kone. There is no movement from the IVC forwards. I just saw Drogba standing still while his midfielders were looking for a pass. I imagine he’s exhausted.

78- Heinze with what I would term a ‘backwards tackle’ in the box. Backwards, but effective.

76- IVC sub: Aroune Kone on. IVC havbe two sets of brother on the field.

76- Drogba strikes the free kick into the wall.

75- Argentina sub: Saviola for Gonzalez

75- IVC need something soon. 2-0 with 15 minutes to go, they have a free kick.

72- Drogba close with a shot on the turn.

71- Still 2-0. IVC need to get the ball to Drogba’s feet. They can’t just keep aiming for his head while he’s got Ayala and Heinze all over him.

70- With diving so popular these days, great stuff from Drogba to get back to his feet.

69- IVC finally find Drogba in the box. Looks like he may have been pulled down but to his eternal credit Drogba got straight back up and went for goal. His shot fell to the feet of Kone, who shot wide.

67- Good strong tackle from Sorin in his own box, but then he’s hacked down in retribution.

66- IVC keep looking for Drogba with high balls into the box. I expected something more creative from them.

64- Argentina sub: Crespo out, Palacio in. He’ll play deeper than Crespo, so Argentina looking to close things down a little

61- IVC second substitution Akale out and Bakary Kone in. So a defender for an extra forward, clearly indicating their plan to step up and attack.

59- Still 2-0. Argentina playing some nice possession football. IVC must feel like they’re chasing shadows, and it’s sapping the energy they need for chasing this two goal deficit.

58- Drogba has a header at the far post, but not enough power behind it.

58- IVC looking vert shirt on ideas, Riquelme looks like a man amongst boys.

57- Crespo causing trouble in IVC box, but neither of his two crosses finds a target.

55- IVC substitution: Kalou for Didane

54- Riquelme’s cross from a free kick almost sneaks in a la Ronaldinho 2002 against England.

53- Fantastic sliding tackle to beat Crespo to the ball, and nice camera angle too.

52- Been a good game. Would be even better if IVC could get one back, as Argentina seem in control.

50- Riquelme has far too much space for my liking. Shouldn’t either Yaya Toure or Zokora go man to man with him?

49- Ivory Coast free kick bounces around like it’s in a pinball machine before Abbo gratefully picks it up.

47- Saviola does well to put a teammate through on goal from a wide angle, but whoever it was shot high and wide. (it was Maxi Rodriguez)

45- We’re underway. No substitutions from either team

2nd Half set to kick off. 2-0.

Teams are back out. Keita must be regretting that miss at 1-0.

OK, there is definitely no micro-chip in the Teamgeist ball. The powers that be felt it needed further testing before being used at a top level tournament.

Quick cuppa, then me and my friend Google will solve this micro-chip in the ball question once and for all.

Half Time- 2-0 after 45 minutes. IVC haven’t been all that bad, but Argentina have been absolutely ruthless in front of goal. Second half should be good, as IVC will have to come out and attack.

43- IVC (as I’m now calling them) with some sustained attacking. Lots of crosses, but nothing lethal.

41- Replay shows Saviola very much on-side. Other players off, but not interfering with play.

39- More basketball references. My ears hurt.

39- 2-0 to Argentina then.

37- A Riquelme pass split the IVC defence to leave Saviola one on one with the keeper, and Saviola slots home with the outside of his foot. Slight whiff of offside though?

37- GOAL! Saviola.

35- Still 1-0. I still can’t believe Keita didn’t score. He was six yards or so out with no one around.

34- Abbo makes a point blank save from Keita’s header. Keita won’t get a better chance than that.

32- Still 1-0. Kolo Toure has taken a knock but will be fine. He’s a tough guy.

31- Drogba denied inside the six yard box by a perfectly timed block from Ayala (I think).

29- Kalou shoots wide after a quick one-two. My commentator keeps making basketball analogies.

27- More pressure from Argentina. Saviola beats a man by playing the ball one side and running around his man on the other. Couple of exchanges and he got it back before dragging a shot just wide.

25- Drogba and Heinze doing some pushing and shoving. Ref lets them off with a warning.

24- 1-0 Argentina. Hands up if that’s ruined your prediction.

24- Riquelme cross from a free kick not cleared, Crespo pokes home from inside the six yard box.

23:40 – Goal!!!!!! Crespo.

23- Abbo looking solid in goal for Argentina. I was expecting much worse.

20- Riquelme finds Crespo in the box. Shot blocked. This is hotting up, but still no goals.

19- Zokora bursts into the box but cross blocked, corner

17 – Slow-mo replay suggests it wasn’t over the line? What does everyone else think???

14- Ivory Coast keeper juggles the ball from a header. Did that go over the line? I’m saying not quite but would love to see that again.

13- Was that a handball in the box? ref says corner.

12- Drogba can be seen dictating his team-mates positioning like he’s directing traffic.

11- Ivory Coast enjoying a great spell of posssession, working into the box and winning a corner.

9- Ivory Coast defence looking solid and well organized. Argentina passing around but not finding any gaps. Still 0-0

6- Akale hits it wide form distance. Worth a go with the Teamgesit ball though.

5-Sorin finds Riquelme in the box. Riquelme slowly dribbles it all the way back to where it came from. He’s looking very comforftable with the ball.

3- Great skills from Crespo on the touchline as he dribbles past two defenders before losing the ball.

2- Drogba with a header high over the bar. Half a chance, nothing more.

2- Ivory Coast looking a little nervous in possession.

1- Free kick from a dangerous(sih) position floats wide from Riquelme.

0 minutes – We have kick off!

-Not long to go.

-Argentina’s keeper Roberto Abbondanzieri is not a popular man with the guys who write our Argentina blog. Look out for a few blunders from the man know as Abbo.

-Less than 10 minutes to go. Here’s how the World Cup Blog prediction panel see this going:
Bob sez: 4-3 Ivory Coast
Peter sez: 3-0 Argentina
Nick sez: 2-1 Argentina
Sean sez: 3-2 Ivory Coast
Chris: 3-2 Argentina

-15 minutes till kick off, and I’m very excited. I see this as the first game with big names on both teams. Agreed?

-Some familiar names there for anyone who follows the Premiership, as Chelsea strikers Didier Drogba and Hernan Crespo go head to head.

-Ivory Coast will line up like this: 1-Jean-Jacques Tizie; 21-Emmanuel Eboue, 4-Kolo Toure, 12-Abdoulaye Meite , 3-Arthur Boka; 18-Abdul Kader Keita, 5-Didier Zokora, 19-Yaya Toure, 2-Kanga Akale; 8-Bonaventure Kalou, 11-Didier Drogba

-Saviola was apparently chosen ahead of Tevez because Pekerman likes how the Saviola-Crespo partnership works. As well as Tevez, Pekerman will have the talents of Pablo Aimar and Leo Messi in reserve should things not go according to plan.

-Around 45 minutes till kick off. Jose Pekerman confidently named his starting eleven ahead of schedule. Argentina will will line up in a 4-4-2 with these players: 1-Roberto Abbondanzieri; 21-Nicolas Burdisso, 2-Roberto Ayala, 6-Gabriel Heinze, 3-Juan Pablo Sorin; 18-Maxi Rodriguez, 8-Javier Mascherano, 5-Esteban Cambiasso, 10-Juan Roman Riquelme; 7-Javier Saviola, 9-Hernan Crespo

Pregame: An exciting game is ahead. Care to share your predictions?