2012 AFCON Qualifying Preview: Cote D’Ivoire – Rwanda

Kick-off: Saturday, September 4, 2010. 17:00 CET. Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan

Trying to look beyond Didier Drogba

For some years now, Cote D’Ivoire’s national team has been greatly synonymous with household name Didier Drogba. Many have been unable to distinguish both, but for now, the rest of the team and the nation at large would have to do, following the departure of the Chelsea’s talisman from a selection he so much loved and laboured for. But life goes on!

However despite the circumstances surrounding the former captain’s abandonment, the Elephants are poised to show the world that one man cannot make a team. The motivation ahead of Saturday’s match is intense, despite Kolo Touré being stripped of the captain’s band and seeing it given to Sevilla’s Didier Zokora, following a row between the City defender and an FA official days ago.

Newly appointed indigenous coach François Zahoui has declared he would strive to honour his mission of not just qualifying for the Orange 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, but winning the title. To prove his own worth before he suffers underestimation, the 48-year-old former Ivorian footballer says he has been given carte blanche by FA President Jacques Anoma to manage one of the most star-studded squads in Africa. No fear!

But Zahoui's greatest task will be the first impressions he delivers to the Ivorian public via the Rwanda encounter and maybe through subsequent games. How will he be received if he does not pounce well on The Amavubi on Saturday? One goal, or even two against Rwanda would not be enough to gladden a public so used to Drogba’s floods of goals.

Hiring a local coach was a gamble that could backfire if the post-Sven-Goran Eriksson (2010 World Cup coach) period does not improve the national team's fortunes. The public will crucify the FA officials. The players, some of whom insisted on the continuation of Eriksson, even when the FA said they could no longer shoulder his fat bills, would not be happy with the FA either.

The outcome of the Rwanda encounter, or from the rest of the members of Group H – Burundi and Benin, will not count much as a yardstick, considering the weight of the opposition. The actual Cote D’Ivoire set up will be judged by its public after a foreseeable qualification for the 2012 AFCON.

Testing the waters once again

Rwanda have qualified only once for the Africa Cup of Nations finals in 2004. They have crossed paths with Cote D’Ivoire in several qualifying campaigns, falling always at the mercy of the giant Elephants, or perhaps offering them cheap points, but perhaps that could change this time around.

Rwanda’s new coach, Ghanaian-born Sellas Tetteh, who led the Black Starlets to win the U-20 FIFA World Cup, will be aiming to make magic with the Amavubi.

Nobody knows how the youthful and inexperienced Amavubi have improved. Nobody is sure of Tetteh’s strategy to withstand the huge crop of Ivorian stars. But down deep, many pundits feel tomorrow’s match will be an easy brush off for Cote D’Ivoire.

With the inclusion of two Ivorian-born players - Roger Tchouassi and Eric Didier Kouin Kapet - Rwanda’s squad allows Tetteh to have a sort of secret weapon for the Elephants.

FORM GUIDE

Cote D’Ivoire

August 10, 2010: Italy 0-1 Cote D’Ivoire

June 25, 2010: North Korea 0-3 Cote D’Ivoire

June 20, 2010: Brazil 3-1 Cote D’Ivoire

June 15, 2010: Cote D’Ivoire 0-0 Portugal

June 04, 2010 Japan 0-2 Cote D’Ivoire

Rwanda

January 7, 2010: Rwanda 0-2 Cote D’Ivoire

December 13, 2009: Uganda 2-0 Rwanda

December 10, 2009: Rwanda 2-1 Tanzania

December 03, 2009: Rwanda 2-1 Eritea

November 29, 2009: Rwanda 1:0 Somalia

TEAM NEWS

Cote D’Ivoire

CSKA Moscow’s Seydou Doumbia, who was to play centre forward in place of Didier Drogba was reported injured early this week. Coach Zahoui has announced the arrival of a certain Abraham Guie Guie who plays for French Ligue 2 side Tours, to come in for Drogba.

Squad: Copa Barry (Lokeren), Daniel Yeboah (ASEC Abidjan) Kolo Toure (Manchester City), Arthur Boka (VfB Stuttgart), Siaka Tiene (Valenciennes), Didier Zokora (FC Seville), Souleymane Bamba (Hibernian), Steve Gohouri (Wigan), Guy Demel (Hamburg SV), Emmanuel Eboue (Arsenal)Yaya Toure (Manchester City), Cheick Tiote (FC Twente), Kafoumba Coulibaly (OGC Nice), Emerse Fae (OGC Nice), Kouamatien Koné (CFR Cluj), Romaric N’Dri (Sevilla)Yannick Sagbo (AS Monaco), Gervinho (Lille), Salomon Kalou (Chelsea), Abraham Guie Guie (Tours)

Rwanda

The Rwanda delegation touched down in Abidjan on Thursday. The three professional players amid the Amavubi feared to be arriving late because of club engagements were able to make the journey. Jean-Baptiste Mugiraneza, Saddou Boubakary and Louis Aniveta are the foreign-based stars boosting the Rwanda side. Two Ivorians named Roger Tchouassi and Eric Didier Kouin Kapet, were surprisingly announced as part of the squad on arrival.

Squad: Jean-Claude Ndoli, Jean-Luc Ndayishimiye, Bonaventure Hategekimana, Hamad Ndikumana, Mwemere Ngirinshuti, Arafat Serugendo, Aimable Rucogoza, Jean Uwacu, Elias Ntaganda, Eric Gasana, Boubakary Sadou, Edwin Ouon, Patrick Mutesa Mafisango, Abdoul Uwimana, Alua Gaseruka, Jean Mugiraneza, Hegman Ngomirakiza, Jean-Claude Iranzi, Harouna Niyonzima, Bobo Bola, Abedi Mulenda, Olivier Karekezi, Henri Munyaneza, Saïd Makasi, Labama Bokota, Louis Aniveta, Roger Tchouassi, Eric Didier

PREDICTION

Like many feel and think at the moment, Cote D’Ivoire will win tomorrow, but what will be the score margin. This is more important to the Ivorian fans than just winning.

Cote D’Ivoire 3:0 Rwanda

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