World Cup: Brazil vs Ivory Coast

By Michael Vass | June 20, 2010

Well that was a very different 2nd half. Red card, yellows, and nearly a brawl. All included with multiple goals by Brazil and the first African nation score agaist Brazil ever.

Brazil came back with a bit more energy in the second half, which was much needed. But shortly into the match there was an interesting event that changed the game. #9 Luis Fabiano, who scored the only goal of the first half, received a high ball – OFF HIS ARM – bounced it over his head – TO HIS OTHER ARM – and down to get into scoring position with a gaol to make the game 2 – 0 for Brazil.

Should that have been taken away? Was it intentional hand ball? It’s a bit hard to say, but one thing is clear, the referee saw it all. We know this as he was jokingly following play alongside Fabiano and motioned to his arm and then his chest. Fabiano smiling all the way.

Would this have changed the game? We will never know. Because while Ivory Coast made several more tries at a goal, they failed. Unlike in the first half, Brazil dominated the touch of the ball. The Brazilian passes became a bit sharper and further. Brazil was on the hunt for goals and Ivory Coast was getting fustrated.

This was capped with a smart goal from #10 Kaká driving the ball down alongside the Ivory Coast penalty box, and on the edge of the line passing back cross the goal. Without know who might be there, and passing an Ivory Coast player who watched it sail by, Kaka’s shot was found by #7 Elano who had had a brilliant night vs North Korea. Elano made a simple deflecting kick straight to the corner of the goal, out of the reach of the outstretched goalie #1 Barry Boubacar Copa.

Suddenly the match was 3 – 0 for Brazil. The assurance of a win for Brazil was clear. A comeback from this point would have been astronomical. Yet Ivory Coast both had the desire and the anger to try.

Thus there were yellow cards a plenty from Ivory Coast. #9 Cheick Tioté, and #18 Abdul Kader Kéita would all wind up with yellow cards from dumb plays fueled from their fustrations. Not to mention the horrible studs first challenge against Elano that took him out of the game, wounded. It was a sad display of international soccer. It was also about to get far worse.

After a breakout run from the Ivory Coast penalty box by #10 Gervinho, passing back to #19 Yaya Touré who paased the ball high to Drogba. With determination in his mind, #11 Didier Drogba – with his arm still in a cast, headed the ball straight into the goal. It was the first time an African nation has scored against Brazil. It was history. But it was too late in the match to change the landslide Ivory Coast faced. Brazil 3 – Ivory Coast 1.

But Brazil retailated against the hard challenges and frustrations of Ivory Coast that history and scoring had not erased, in the form of Kaka in the 84th minute. A silly yellow that was unneeded by Brazil. Kaka pushed against #8 Salomon Kalou as debate over possesion of the ball was being discussed by the referee. That shove, though not as blatant or vicious as Nigeria’s Sani Kaita, was enough to give Kaka the yellow. It was to be followed by the worst of calls (potentially seperate of the 2nd goal) also against Kaka.

At about 86:40, a charging Ivory Coast Forward, #8 Salomon Kalou, ran into Brazil’s Kaka. Kaka (standing still) saw Kalou and raised his shoulder to deflect Kalou (who was not looking where he was going), who bounced off and fell to the ground holding his face. It was a simple stupid imagined injury. It was the worst of fakery, without a single shred of reality in it.

Suddenly the Ivory Coast players surged towards Kaka, their frustration at the impending loss high. Kaka, intelligently, walked away from the incident, trying to provide space for cooler heads. Ivory Coast players surged towards him only to be cut off from the Brazil players protecting Kaka. It looked like at any moment there was going to be a baseball style bench clearing brawl.

But cool heads held everything together. Ivory Coast captain #11 Didier Drogba spoke with Kaka to find out what happened, and Kaka plead his innocence of any intentional or serious foul. But that was not enough for the referee. Kaka was awarded his second yellow and a RED card. Kaka was out of the match in the 88th minute, and will miss the final game of Group G vs Portugal.

Again it was the worst of dives meant to draw a foul. The fact it succeeded was a compliment to no one.

From this point Brazil was down to 10 men. Ivory Coast saw blood in the water and tried to rally. Perhaps they could now garner a draw. Perhaps they had the chance to do wht no other African nation team had done.

They would not. Ultimately it was too little far too late. In effect Ivory Coast found themselves joining so many other African nations in loss and failure to advance to the Round of 16. For Brazil’s part they will continue on, guaranteed a spot, as was expected. They will be missing Kaka in Portugual, but then again it is a match in which nothing is on the line for Brazil.

Final score: Brazil 3 – Ivory Coast 1

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