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8 juin 2017
Ivory Coast and Czech Republic: 2 very ambitious teams
"Our goal is to win the cup." Kader Touré Yaya (CIV/2), Ivorian midfielder, already expressed his ambition after the his team’s 2-1 victory against France, in the Groupe B’s second game. Ivory Coast must win against Czech Republic in their semi-final before pretend to win the Maurice Revello Tournament. If Africans claim they can win the title, they will have to face a particularly motivated team.
"We were the strongest, we are warriors! « , exclaimed Matej Chalus (CZE/3), Czech Republic’s defender, at the end of his last game against Brazil. "We've been unbeaten since the start of the competition, and I think we can win it ». Czechs have not lost a match yet, so their opponents did. Ivorians also finished the group stage with 7 points. However, if both teams have collected the same number of points, they encountered a very different course.
Realism was the key word of the Ivorian qualification. Elephants won their first two games, against Bahrain and France, by scoring each time on the few situations they had. Their offensive sector proved more productive in the last match against Wales, but Ivory Coast can thank their attackers for their efficiency. They were able to score when they needed to. The Czech Republic was far more dominating than their future opponent. Martin Graiciar's team-mates (CZE/19) dominated all their matches, by ball possession and chances.
So, there are two very different teams that will compete on Thursday. The winner of this match will meet the winner of England-Scotland, the first semi-final.
Anthony Guttuso -
Photo credits - Magali Ruffato / Eric Estrade
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