/ 2 February 2008

Côte d’Ivoire ready for quarterfinals

Côte d’Ivoire are the favourites to go one step better than two years ago and win the Africa Cup of Nations.

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba captained the Elephants to three straight wins in a tough Group B that included Nigeria, Mali and Benin. They next play Guinea in the quarterfinals on Sunday in Sekondi.

”We have so many good players and we just work as a team together,” Côte d’Ivoire defender Kole Toure said. ”We just want to keep going.”

Côte d’Ivoire lost in a penalty shootout to host Egypt two years ago, giving Egypt a fifth title. This time, Mali’s Freddie Kanoute is among many predicting that Côte d’Ivoire will raise the trophy on February 10.

”For me they are the favourites,” Kanoute said. ”They have a good bench. It is easy for them once they are leading.”

But Tunisia coach Roger Lemerre, whose team play Cameroon on Monday in hot and dusty Tamale, expects a more open competition. ”I think Ghana, Egypt and Côte d’Ivoire are the best teams in the competition and stand a chance of winning,” the former France coach said.

Ghana’s Black Stars have also won all their matches, while Tunisia and Egypt are unbeaten. Ghana take on rivals Nigeria in Accra on Sunday, while Egypt play Angola in the fresher climate of Kumasi on Monday.

Toure is still nursing a sore groin and will not play against Guinea, who will be missing captain Pascal Feindouno. The Saint-Etienne player was shown the tournament’s only red card so far, moments after scoring his second goal against Morocco in a 3-1 win last week.

”It is a shame for him that he doesn’t play,” Côte d’Ivoire defender Siaka Tiene said. ”But for us that is great.”

Guinea coach Robert Nouzaret will definitely miss Feindouno, who has scored goals in a total of 10 Africa Cup appearances.

Cameroon, who are seeking their fifth title, have the tournament’s top scorer in FC Barcelona striker Samuel Eto’o. He has scored five in this tournament and is the all-time top Africa Cup scorer with 16.

Cameroon have scored 10 goals in three games — more than any other team — although five of those came against a weak Zambia side and three more against Sudan.

”It’s a knockout round and we will prepare in consequence of that,” Cameroon coach Otto Pfister said on Monday of the match against 2004 Cup winner Tunisia. ”I think we have the capacity to reach the semifinals.”

Pfister wants Cameroon’s fans to show more patience as his side chase a fifth title, and their first since 2002. ”Cameroon is like Brazil. If we don’t win 8-0, people aren’t happy,” Pfister said. ”You have to live with the critics. It’s part of the job.”

Accra’s Ohene Djan Stadium will be decked out in red, gold and green Ghana flags for the 60th meeting between Ghana and Nigeria since 1960. Ghana lead 24-16 in wins.

”Even though the Black Stars are playing well, we are fired up enough to teach them that, when it comes to tournaments, we are better than them,” Nigeria’s Newcastle striker Obafemi Martins said.

Although Ghana beat Nigeria 4-1 in a friendly match in February 2007, Nigeria beat Ghana 1-0 at the Africa Cup in Egypt two years ago. — Sapa-AP