Ghana – Ivory Coast clash is not a match to miss, so say Goal.com's Kingsley Kobo and The Mail's Kofi Agyepong…
Fingers are crossed and toes are clutching firmly to the ground as two West African giants – Ghana and Ivory Coast – prepare to engage in a pitch battle that might decide who stays and who takes an early shower in Group B of the Africa Cup of Nations. Goal.com’s Ivory Coast correspondent Kingsley Kobo and Ghana-based The Mail’s senior sports writer Kofi Agyepong have already set the tone ahead of the match.

Goal.com: What is your general impression of the tournament so far?

Kobo: It has been a mixed feeling of pain and joy, owing to the Togolese tragedy. We were expecting a trouble-free event to ameliorate our image as a continent, but have just failed again. When disgruntled elements mix sport with politics, it becomes so terrible. Such a huge sporting event like the AFCON ought to be a therapeutic moment, where differences are buried and love is exhumed in its totality. What happened is regrettable. My condolences go to the families of those who died, and I wish the injured ones soonest recovery. And finally, I support the decision of the Togolese team to withdraw from the tournament. Imagine, you can’t go dancing in a nightclub whilst your mother’s corpse is waiting unburied in your parlour. It’s the correct decision to quit. And what will be more awful is if CAF sanctions the Togo team for future tournaments. It will be very ugly.

Agyepong: Apart from the Togo tragic encounter which nearly marred the tournament, I think the matches played so far have been high in quality. One thing also is that the pitches have not been good. In the Benin - Mozambique game, one could see that the pitch was not well watered. The Ivory Coast also encountered the same problem when they played Burkina Faso. But as I said the level of game has considerably increased. Now teams are exhibiting maturity and some form of deep technical thinking by coaches.

Goal.com: What’s going through your mind as Ghana face Ivory Coast?

Kobo: Fear is going through my mind. See, the Burkina Faso – Ivory Coast encounter showed that the Ivorian star-studded squad do not play as a team but as individual stars. That can’t work with the Black Stars. Ghana play as a team; and the inclusion of some of the Under-20 World Cup gold medallists will solidify that collective play pattern because these boys have been playing together. Secondly, Ghana are coming very fresh to play the Ivory Coast, who are playing their second game. It’s going to be a derby! Both sides know it’s the match that will decide the destiny of the group. It will be the Ivory Coast's last group match; they’d die to catch a three-point win. Whereas Ghana will be doing their best to take an advantage into an unpredictable Burkina Faso match.

Agyepong: It is certainly going to be a sell out. A potential West African derby fit for the gods. Both teams are good, but I see Ivory Coast ahead in terms of quality in depth. Apart from the likes of Salomon Kalou, Drogba, Kolo Toure and Yaya Toure, they have Abdulkader Keita, Arouna Kone and Bakari Kone who can cause havoc to any team on any given day. Ghana are also a good team; they play the diamond kind of football which revolves around the SMS (Stephen Appiah, Michael Essien and Sulley Muntari). But now that Muntari and Appiah are not playing we will see how the team plays. One thing is clear; matches played at this tournament so far have proven the pundits wrong. You stick your neck out and you are caught on the wrong foot. But I know both teams will not disappoint in the quality that they will exhibit…It’s a must watch.

Goal.com: Is it going to be a repetition of the third-fourth place playoff in 2008?

Kobo: No. It will be a fire-packed battle because there is much more at stake than that match at Ghana 2008. Then, both teams were already discouraged, having failed to make it through to the final. Ghana were trying to save honour as the hosts, the Ivory Coast were playing with their souls already on the plane back to Abidjan. But this time around nothing has been lost, there is all to win, and so both sides will sweat it out, mark my words. It’s going to be a World Cup game!

Agyepong: Not really, although almost all the same players are going to be paraded. A lot more other than pride is as stake.

Goal.com: Should Ivory Coast relax since Ghana are virtually parading a youth squad who have no Nations Cup experience?

Kobo: What, relax? Didn’t they learn anything from the Burkina Faso match? The Ghanaian boys who played with Brazil at the Under-20 World Cup final can play any senior team in Africa. They are fast, physically fit and cohesive. The exposure and experience they reaped from the Under-20 World Cup is enough to challenge in any AFCON. What else do you need? You want them to play European Champions League first? What about Egypt, how many of their players have ever played a UEFA match. Can’t you see how they keep humiliating our European professionals? And don’t forget, Ghana still have some from the former senior team still present. And finally, playing these young boys is even more difficult, because they want to make a name and earn a contract. They’ll invest their blood and soul to play.

Agyepong: A big no! They know what will happen if they play it soft. They can’t afford to mess up. A win for them would guarantee their stay or exit from the competition.

Goal.com: If you were the coach for your side, which players would you guard against?

Kobo: I would try to handle Michel Essien, although I don’t know if he’ll be in the line-up. All the newspapers here are saying this, because Essien himself defends well and mounts to the goalmouth, so how can you track a guy like that. I would also try to guard against Dominic Adiyiah. He will be a poison for us, if we’re not careful.