After Algeria knocked pre-tournament favourites Ivory Coat out of the 2010 Africa Nations Cup, it left sour taste in the mouth of many as very few expected or wished to have the North African team in the final. Going into the quarterfinal clash against fellow World Cup finalists, Ivory Coast odds on to win the game but the Algerians once again defied the probabilities just as they did against Egypt for a place in the South Africa.
After Algeria knocked pre-tournament favourites Ivory Coat out of the 2010 Africa Nations Cup, it left sour taste in the mouth of many as very few expected or wished to have the North African team in the final.
Going into the quarterfinal clash against fellow World Cup finalists, Ivory Coast odds on to win the game but the Algerians once again defied the probabilities just as they did against Egypt for a place in the South Africa.
With just one goal in two Nations Cup games, this was the game that the Elephants captain Drogba was supposed to show to the world exactly why he’s one of the most prolific strikers in the world at the moment, if not the most but he instead went missing throughout!
The Chelsea marksman will be first to admit that he has not had the best of tournaments and that his contribution to the team’s campaign has been very minimal, against Algeria, he kept disappearing as the game progressed, something not so common with him or his game.
Contrary to the majority, I do not subscribe to hype surrounding Ivory Coast as Africa’s best shot to do better at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
With Ghana not at their best, the same as Cameroon and Nigeria, this was the time for Ivory Coast to prove to their fans that they’re a team to go places but that opportunity is gone and it could be the last we see of Drogba playing at Nations Cup finals.
For 120 minutes, the 30-year-old striker never tested Algeria’s ‘keeper, and it’s a shame for a player of Drogba’s quality to have a miserable tournament as he did.