FIFA WC Ivory Coast vs Japan Preview: African Giants take on the Asian Wizards

WHAT: Ivory Coast vs Japan, Group C
WHEN: June 15, 2014. 0630 hours, IST
WHERE: Arena Pernambuco, Recife

Ivory Coast kick off their World Cup campaign against Asian giants Japan here in Recife, knowing that they have been given the best possible chance of making it to the knock-out rounds for the first time in their history. Having being drawn in the most ‘lenient’ group, also featuring Columbia and Greece, the highest ranked nation from Africa will rely on their senior brigade to fire against the Samurai Blues.
Participating in their fifth straight World Cup, Japan represents Asia’s best chance to leave a mark in the Amazon. They will rely on their traditional strengths of pace, agility and slick passing to unsettle the formidable Ivory Coast defence. Japan will once again look upon their European club players to provide the spark.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS:-
Ivory Coast (Possible, 4-3-3): Barry; Aurier, K Touré, Zokora, Boka; Tioté, Y Touré, Serey Die; Kalou, Drogba, Gervinho.
Japan (Possible, 4-2-3-1): Kawashima; Uchida, Yoshida, Konno, Nagatomo; Hasebe, Endo; Okazaki, Honda, Kagawa; Kakitani.

KEY PLAYERS:-
YAYA TOURE: The Manchester City midfielder is coming off a career best season with the Citizens, having led his team to their 2nd Premier League title in 3 years. 20 goals and 9 assists from 35 games in the league is testament to the former Barcelona man’s attacking calibre, who is also immense defensively. Currently, fighting a hamstring injury, Ivory Coast will be hoping that the 6’5” giant is fit in time to dominate the midfield like he does so often.
SHINJI KAGAWA: Coming off an underwhelming season with Manchester United, where he was limited to just 14 starts, Shinji Kagawa would like to show his club what they missed out on. Creative and opportunistic, dimunitive midfielder can be lethal on his day and the aged pair of Kolo Toure and Didier Zokora at the back would not want Kagawa to run at them very often.

PREDICTION: Ivory Coast 1-1 Japan