please log in to view this image Greece v Ivory Coast please log in to view this image Head-to-head This is the first time the sides have met. Greece The Greeks had just 24.7% possession in their 0-0 draw with Japan. Since 1966, only one World Cup match has featured a lower possession figure - that was Greece's defeat to Argentina in 2010, when the Greeks saw just 20% of the ball. Their top passer against Japan was Ioannis Maniatis, who completed just 19 passes - a figure bettered by 10 Japanese players. The Greeks have failed to score in seven of eight World Cup games (W1, D1, L6). Both of their previous goals came against African opposition, although they only netted against Nigeria in 2010 after the Super Eagles were reduced to 10 men. Ivory Coast Ivory Coast have gone almost a year without keeping a clean sheet. In their most recent nine games, both sides have scored. In their eight previous World Cup matches they have conceded two goals or more on five occasions. They netted in seven of those games, but scored the opening goal only once. Eight of the Ivorians' 12 World Cup goals have been scored in the final half hour of matches. Five of their last nine World Cup goals have been headers. If Gervinho scores against Greece, he will become the first player to net in three successive World Cup games for an African nation. Centre forward Wilfried Bony failed to touch the ball inside the penalty area during his 60 minutes on the pitch against Colombia
It wasn't pretty, but massive respect for pulling that off. They could never have achieved that by playing football. I'm mainly just rooting for the Greek guy who gets my bus. He's had a hard couple of weeks. He needs this.
I was pleased when Greece won the Euros...just as I was when Denmark did it. Gives me hope that an outsider like England may do it one day.
Horrible feeling Greece will get through their group here similar to the way they got through their group in 2012
I'm rooting for the Ivorians in this, after what happened with the Toure's brother. It's an emotional one.
I loved it when the Greeks did it. I'd just come back from my first trip to Crete and was so pro-Greek it was almost embarrassing. I was roaring them on from my TV seat because they had so much bloody fight in them through the whole tournament. Remember that Final too. Blimey, that was good. The beer was flowing at full rate as well. Enjoyable evenings.
Can anyone tell me why Kalou takes the corners ahead of Aurier, who has delivered far better balls this tournament.
Could be simply to do with the fullbacks being the two instructed to stay on the halfway line to stop counter attacks. Normally that's the case. CBs obviously in the box, so the next best defenders are the fullbacks.
