AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS
Venue: Estadio de Malabo Date: Sunday, 1/2/15 Kick-off: 19:30 GMT
Coverage: Nile Sports website, TV: BEIN Sports
Team News:
– Ivory Coast are boosted by the return of forward Gervinho, who has completed the two-match suspension imposed after his red card against Guinea.
– The Elephants also have midfielder Cheick Tiote available after he sat out the win over Cameroon because of a ban.
– Algeria will again be without striker Islam Slimani, who has not recovered from a thigh problem.
– Midfielder Yacine Brahimi is expected to be fit despite coming off hurt in the victory over Senegal.
Ivory Coast and pre-tournament favorites Algeria go head-to-head in what has the makings of a classic quarter-final.
The Elephants have yet to his top gear and know they will have to raise their game against the leading side in Africa according to the Fifa rankings.
Neutrals will be hoping for a repeat of the 2010 quarter-final encounter between the teams in Angola, when the Ivory Coast led 2-1 going into injury time only for Algeria to equalise before triumphing 3-2 after extra-time.
However, Ivorian coach Herve Renard will settle for a solid defensive display from his side.
For all the attention given to captain Yaya Toure and an attack led by Wilfried Bony, it was their defence which particularly impressed in Wednesday’s 1-0 defeat of Cameroon which took the Elephants through.
“There are not many teams in the world who are capable of attacking all the time. At international level Spain have been able to play that way and today maybe Germany too. But we are not Germany, we are Ivory Coast,” said Renard.
