On Portugal vs Ivory Coast

The Elephants, as the team from Africa is nicknamed, carry an enormous burden. In the last five years, they have been to the Africa Nations Cup Finals and semifinals once each. Both times they were dispatched by Egypt. Luckily for them, their nemesis isn’t in the World Cup.

But in the last World Cup in Germany, they weren’t able to get out of the group stage as they lost their first two assignments against Argentina and the Netherlands before beating Serbia & Montenegro. That was that Cup's Group of Death. Now they're in another one.

In the games where they need a win, their vaunted forward line of Didier Drogba, Kader Keita, and Salomon Kalou underperformed. With Drogba coming off a freak arm injury -- Shades of Franz Beckenbauer -- the odds are stacked once more against the Ivorians.

They have a good midfield line but they could be stretched to the limit against Portugal that clearly knows the Elephants’ weakness on defense and on goal. But this team’s biggest problem is their mental frailty. One early goal can do this squad in.

To make things worse for Ivory Coast, they appointed a new manager only two months ago! Sven Goran-Eriksson. The sad thing about that is the last two Eriksson-managed teams were booted out by Portugal in World Cup and Euro play. You think that doesn't hold water? In the last two World Cups, Luis Felipe Scolari teams sent England packing each time -- Brazil in 2002 and Portugal in 2006.

With that in mind, will Ivory Coast try to beat Portugal with plenty of attacking football? I think Drogba will be rejuvenated by playing on African soil but methinks here in Brew that Los Navegadores behind Ronaldo, Simao, Danny, Deco, Pepe, and Tiago will beat Les Elephants 3-1.

But as good as Portugal is, they are missing plenty of their vets from their last World Cup team (Figo, Rui Costa, Ricardo, and Pauleta). So maybe that will even things out.