Game 8 Recap: Ivory Coast 2-1 Japan

IVORY COAST 2-1 JAPAN

For 60 minutes Ivory Coast looked like a team that had no business being at the World Cup. Passes slinging off to nowhere, wild finishes, players standing around watching Japan pass circles around them...

Enter Drogba. The 36 year old captain, top scorer, top player, top everything for this squad came on as a second-half substitute and the lightbulb clicked finally for Ivory Coast. 5 minutes later, the squad that looked completely inept to that point had a 2-1 lead and was pouring it on the reigning Asian champions.

It was a one-sided affair in terms of scoring chances. Time and again the Ivorians raced down the pitch in their often blundering style but always wasted possessions by firing wide or sending passes in to nowhere. On the contrary, it was an efficient performance from Japan in the first half, with just 2 shots but both hitting goal and one buried on some excellent footwork from Keisuke Honda.

Just inside the penalty area, Honda brought down a hard pass with his right foot and on his second touch promptly rocketed the ball in to the top corner with his left. It was a gorgeous piece of skill from the Japanese midfielder and evidence of why he's one of the best in the world. Honda was a force in the midfield all game for Japan, his dribbling and slippery movement impossible for any Ivorian to mark him.

With players limping around the field and Drogba's replacement Wilfried Bony having fired about his 5th good scoring chance high and wide of the goal, the Ivorian talisman took the field. Commentators questioned if his presence would spark his teammates. They couldn't have been more right.

Playing far up from his right back position the whole half, Serge Aurier found himselves unmarked on the right wing. His cross to the centre of the field was right on point, finding Bony who this time finally managed to direct his headed attempt inside the far post for the equalizer.

It was nearly a carbon copy goal 2 minutes later, as an unmarked Aurier again approached the penalty area and whipped a cross to Gervinho this time whose header slipped through the fingers of Eiji Kawashima at the near post.

Completely deflated, Japan never managed to get close after that. It was a physical contest with several hard fouls on both sides and some concerning looking injuries to multiple Ivorian players (Ya Konan, Boka).

Goals

Ivory Coast: Wilfried Bony (64'), Gervinho (66')

Japan: Keisuke Honda (16')

Discipline

Ivory Coast: Sol Bamba (54'), Didier Zokora (58')

Japan: Maya Yoshida (23'), Masato Morishige (64')

Man of the Match

Yaya Toure was named man of the match by the fans which is why fan voting is pointless. Toure had a terrible game, and was clearly nursing an injury. Stood around defensively and mustered nothing offensively. Have two players of the game, one from each team. Serge Aurier was moved in to the midfield for the second half by Sabri Lammouchi and it was a prescient move. Aurier was an excellent facilitator of the ball for fast breaks and assisted both Ivorian goals with his crosses. Keisuke Honda was the bright spot for Japan. It was a highlight-reel goal and he had a number of other chances that were either deflected or wasted by his teammates.

Key Moment

I feel kind of weird picking this as he didn't really impact either goal but Didier Drogba entering the game flipped a switch for the Ivorians. They went from completely disinterested to a team on fire as soon as he entered and they went from a goal down to a goal up within 5 minutes of him entering the game.

What we learned from Ivory Coast

A great comeback in the second half but they need to fix their attitudes. Players arguing with each other, midfielders not pushing back on defence, absolutely no organization in their defensive penalty area. They have more individual skill across the field then any team in this group but there's no cohesion amongst them. This was a crucial win for them to advance out of the group but they could just as easily implode before that happens.

What we learned from Japan

I thought they played well to be entirely honest. They struggled in possession with the speed and size of Ivory Coast but were efficient with their opportunities when they did have the ball. Maligned for their defence but it held up well to the constant pressure. Only fault on the 2 goals is that they were collapsing too far in to their area to defend the huge strikers and left Aurier unmarked. Can't leave the cross man unmarked and allow Bony/Gervinho/Drogba to connect on the cross. No goalkeeper in the world can help you out then.

Going Forward

Ivory Coast's comeback may have save them from yet another group stage exit. Colombia was on fire early in the day and should top the group. Japan's inability to hang on dug a huge hole for them and they'll likely need to win out and get some help in order to advance.