FIFA World Cup: Cote D’Ivoire, Senegal Renew Rivalry

Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal will resume what is a long standing west African rivalry in their 2014 FIFA World Cup final round qualifier starting in Abidjan on Saturday.
The pair have been squaring off for almost 50 years, but few matches have been quite as important as this tie to decide which of them will go to Brazil.
If their most recent battles are anything to go by then it will be a feisty affair, with the Ivorians having disposed of Senegal 6-2 on aggregate in the qualifiers for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations this time last year.
It was during the second leg of that tie that Senegalese fans went on a riot, leading to a year-long ban from playing matches at home in front of their own supporters.
Cote d’Ivoire coach Sabri Lamouchi has made a number of changes to his squad for the first leg. Liverpool’s Kolo Toure has earned a recall for the first time in nine months after he was dropped from the team following their disappointing stint at the Nations Cup in 2013.
Also back for the Elephants is Saint Etienne’s Max Gradel, who returns from a long lay-off. The versatile player has been a regular in the starting eleven following his impressive performances in 2012 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
There was a slight concern this week over the fitness of in-form Roma striker Gervinho, though it looks as though he will be fit to play if selected.
Senegal coach Alain Giresse controversially left out striker Demba Ba from his squad, something that has pleased Lamouchi.
“The absence of Demba Ba is a good thing for us,” said Lamouchi. “But there are other talented players in the Senegal team. We will have to remain very focused and determined.”
These two sides have met on 16 previous occasions in official FIFA matches, with the Ivorians leading the head-to-head 10-4 and just two matches drawn.Senegal’s last victory came in a 1-0 success in Tours in 2006.
In his own remark, Senegal Coach, Giresse has compared his World Cup qualifier match against Ivory Coast as ‘facing a mountain’.
Before heading to Abidjan with the Senegal national team, the Lions’ coach talked to RFI about their crucial clash against Elephants on Saturday.
“We are facing a mountain. It is up to us to find the best way to climb it,” he said. “The players must not have a hang-up about this team that I respect.
“It is true that I called up younger and less experienced players, but why should we compare with the past? However it is a fact that against Côte d’Ivoire we are lacking experience and individual quality, but we don’t build a team by the wave of a magic wand. We need some time.
“It is important to highlight the mental aspect. In this kind of environment, the characteristic of a good player is to remain clear-headed.
“We always score a bit more goals than we concede and of course we must score more. We have the opportunities; it is up to us to get them in,” he said.