24 March 2011
We will bring you live coverage of all the goals as they go in around the continent on both Saturday and Sunday!
– Cote d’Ivoire v Benin, 26 March, Accra (Ghana, neutral venue)
– Rwanda v Burundi, 26 March, Kigali
Cote d’Ivoire will hope to maintain their 100 percent record in their 2012 Africa Cup of Nations Group H when they play Benin in Accra, Ghana, on Saturday.
The Ivorians have two wins from two, and have yet to concede a goal, as they seek to open up a five-point lead at the top of the pool.
The match was originally scheduled for Abidjan, but was moved to neighbouring Ghana due to the political unrest in Cote d’Ivoire. It should not matter much to the experienced stars of The Elephants, who look to have far too much fire-power for Benin.
Coach Franois Zahoui has handed a first call-up to Leeds United forward Max Gradel, while there is also a recall for the vastly experienced Didier Drogba, who remains very much the talisman of the side.
Other top players in their line-up include Lille forward Gervinho, Manchester City’s Yaya Tour, Chelsea’s Salomon Kalou and Sevilla’s Didier Zokora. All are among the top players in Europe.
Benin have beaten Cote d’Ivoire just once in their last 11 meetings, but that did come all the way back in 1979 and recent match-ups have been heavily in favour of the Ivorians. The sides last met in the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations finals, when The Elephants triumphed 4-1.
In the pool’s other match, Rwanda will be looking to break their duck after successive defeats when they host Burundi in Kigali.
It is a match that Rwanda simply have to win to have even a semblance of a chance in the pool, and their Ghanaian coach Sellas Tetteh knows of the importance of a good result.
“We need to redeem our image by getting a win against Burundi. Burundi will come with a lot of confidence, but Rwandans should also come and support their team such that we could win the game,” Tetteh told The New Times.
The teams have met on eight previous occasions, with three wins for Rwanda, three for Burundi and two draws. The last meeting was a0-0 draw in Bujumbura on 2008.
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