Match 29: Brazil x Cote d'Ivoire

I'm so excited for this game. Kaka, Robinho, Fabiano vs Drogba, Kalou, Keita, Gervinho! Does either team's defense have a chance in this one?

 

yes, Brazil's defense will have more than a chance. They will play a boring ass anti jogo-bonito counterattacking style and will probably be able to shut down CI's attack. the real question is whether Brazil will be able to effectively counterattack and whether CI can catch them off guard on a counter counterattack.

Brazil never let in more than 2 goals during WCQ, a 0.6 goals per game average, and had the best defensive record in conmebol.

 

Yeah... CI defence is more likely to crumble... they have the capacity up front to cause damage and given a bit of luck they can even win, but Brasil is just too sound a team for the erratic Ivorians, so 4 out of 5 games would be a Brasil win.

 

Am I the only that thinks Ivory Coast have been screwed here? They play Brazil and Portugal in the first two games which means that they could easily be knocked out. Am I the only that is of the opinion that FIFA have purposely done this so that the "big teams" will go thru?

 

Well... it seems that Brasil seem favourites, but on the Portugal-Cote d'Ivoire front a lot of people seem to be betting to the Africans... That said Cote d'Ivoire has had bad luck so far... Yeah they have North Korea in the last game, but after the terrible draw in 2006 they get another unlucky draw in 2010... There was basically a 75% for Cote d'Ivoire to get a good draw from pot B, but they just had to get either Portugal or France. Had it been any of the other teams the Ivorians would have been clear favourites (Slovakia, Slovenia, Greece, Denmark, Serbia or Switzerland).

That said I would have to say that chances in the Portugal-Cote d'Ivoire games are 50-50.

 

- i think what FIFA wants most is to see African teams do well

- if anything playing the weakest team last is favorable to playing them second, as there's a good chance that they will go into that game knowing they need a victory and maybe even having an idea as to what goal difference might suffice.

 

Brazil had a nice defensive record in WCQ but that doesn't always mean it will carry over - remember Serbia had only allowed one goal in their ENTIRE qualifying campaign for 2006 and then they conceded 10 goals in three group matches!

I could see this game playing out like Brazil vs Egypt in the Confederations Cup. An early goal and then both teams just attacking, attacking, attacking the whole time with it finally ending in either a high scoring draw or 1-goal victory for whoever scores last.

 

I think Cote d'Ivoire could cause the upset of the century by beating Brazil, as Brazil's team has gotten younger, as Brazil are kind of in a rebuilding phase as most of their 2006 squad is no longer there, and replaced with new players coming into the team, while Cote d'Ivoire are a team on the rise, and I think Drogba & co. can beat Brazil, so I see Ivory Coast beating Brazil 3-2

 

Another easy one, 4-1, counter attack from Brazil will kill Ivory Coast

 

i think this game will set the tone.

brasil 3 ivory coast 1

 

Brasil 3x0 Ivory Coast

 

Cote d'Ivoire - Brasil 3:1

 

Big match at the Venue of the Final (Soccer City)

BRA 2 x 1 ICO

 

Just providing counterbalance
I can see Cote d'Ivoire pulling a result (although I don't think it the likeliest outcome), so my prediction was more about showing disregard for disregarding Cote d;Ivoire. I find the likelihood of Cote dIvoire winning much higher than a 3:0 win by Brazil...

 

leonidas: Since when is Barry a poor goalie? He has been the best goalie in the Belgian league for 3 years running. I'm not saying he is world class or anywhere as good as Cesar, but for some reason there is this myth that Copa is a poor goalie, when he clearly isn't... Where do you get that from? Just out of curiosity?

I agree that there is something about him that makes you assume he isn't too good, but I have yet to see him make any meaninful mistake in the last 2-3 years. He is the most reliable thing in the Cote d'Ivoire's defenisive formations.

 

Barry is average at best, I too used to think he sucked balls, but the more I watch CIV I realize that its usually the defences fault and not his.

 

C'mon - he is AT LEAST AVERAGE. You don't win three Best GK of the League awards in a row being AT BEST AVERAGE (given Belgium isn't the strongest league). He does look cumbersome, but in fact he isn't and rarely fails whenever it matters...

He has some great reflexes, good control of the area, doesn't come out flailing to miss balls and doesn't make glaring errors. Behind Kameni and Gouauauaui (whats his name ) he is probably the best African keeper at the World Cup.

 

Barry was linked with top England sides. The fact that he is the best GK in Belgium for 3 years running. WHICH IS A FACT. He has the awards on the shelf to prove it.

He does look lethargic, but his looks are deceiving. I agree his positioning could be better.

 

Come on Maruti, all 3 of Nigerias keepers are better than Barry, and I mean that seriously no hyperbole. Barry seems to pull off good saves from time to time, but he really struggles on crosses. He does not look confident when crosses come in, of course it doesn't help to have that Bamba guy in defence.

 

Having Bamba in defence doesn't help. Period.

But seriously I don't agree on Barry. He's getting all this bad press, but I have never seen him let in a bad goal. The problems are in front of the goal, not in the goal itself.

 

Since Ivory Coast are my country Ghana's next door neighbours geographically, and since they are an African team like my country Ghana, I have to go for them since I love Ivory Coast, and I have all the respect in the world for Ivorians and their national team, and since Ivory Coast tied Portugal 0-0, I can see Ivory Coast tying Brazil 1-1, I'm calling it, it will be a draw 1-1