Match Info:
Match Time: 18:00 (Cairo Time) 22 Jan 2012
Venue Estadio de Malabo
Watch the match live on: www.NileSports.tv
Ivory Coast coach Francois Zahoui insists his side will not be over-reliant on striker Didier Drogba as they kick off their 2012 African Nations Cup campaign against Sudan.
Zahoui’s talented but underachieving squad is stacked full of well-known names, with the likes of Gervinho, Kolo Toure, Yaya Toure, Salomon Kalou and Didier Zokora in his experienced ranks.
Yet Chelsea veteran Drogba remains the Elephants’ high-profile talisman as they look to finally land a major trophy.
Zahoui, though, insists the onus is on his whole team to carry the burden of expectation.
“I want to rely on all the players and not just an individual,” he said ahead of Sunday’s clash.
“The absence of Drogba did not affect us negatively because we were able to plug that hole with (Seydou) Doumbia.
“We can’t rely on our so-called superstars. During the 2010 World Cup, Drogba was injured and we still relied on him and it backfired.”
Sudan coach Mohammed Abdallah knows the size of the task facing his outsiders, who are ranked as underdogs against their illustrious Group B opponents at the Nuevo Estadio de Malabo in Malabo
“It’s a tough group and we’re seeded fourth,” he told Eurosport. “But football is a game of surprises and I’m confident of reaching the knockout stage.
“Anything can happen in the Cup of Nations as we have witnessed with football powers like Cameroon, Egypt and Nigeria failing to make it this time, so who can predict what may happen?”
