Date: June 14, 2014
Result: Ivory Coast 2 Japan 1
Scorers:
Ivory Coast:
- Bony 64
- Gervinho 66
Japan:
- Honda 20
Venue: Arena Pernambucano, Recife
Attendance: 40267
Match overview:Japan took a first-half lead in rainswept Recife with a stunning shot from Keisuke Honda but Japan backed off in the second half and allowed Ivory Coast to turn the match around with two headers, both from Serge Aurier assists.
Key moment: Wilfried Bony powered Ivory Coast back into the match, scoring the equaliser with a bullet header from Serge Aurier’s right-wing cross.
Man of the match: Ivory Coast’s attacking right-back Serge Aurier supplied the crosses for both of his side’s goals.
Stats: Goal attempts
- Ivory Coast 19
- Japan 7
On target
- Ivory Coast 9
- Japan 4
Corners
- Ivory Coast 8
- Japan 5
Matter of fact: Ivory Coast scored two headed goals for the first time at a World Cup finals.
Talking point: Ivory Coast coach Sabri Lamouchi stuck to his guns and left centre-forward Didier Drogba on the bench, preferring the in-form Wilfried Bony in attack. However, he gave Drobga an opportunity as a 62nd-minute substitute and the added attacking threat brought by 36-year-old striker helped Ivory Coast to equalise and then take the lead within a two-minute spell.
Line-ups:
Ivory Coast:
- 1 Barry
- 17 Aurier
- 5 Zokora
- 22 Bamba
- 3 Boka (Djakpa 75)
- 9 Tiote
- 20 Serey (Drogba 62)
- 19 Yaya Toure
- 8 Kalou
- 10 Gervinho
- 12 Bony (Ya Konan 78)
Japan:
- 1 Kawashima
- 2 Uchida
- 22 Yoshida
- 6 Morishige
- 5 Nagatomo
- 16 Yamaguchi
- 17 Hasebe (Endo 54)
- 9 Okazaki
- 4 Honda
- 10 Kagawa (Kakitani 86)
- 18 Osako (Okubo 67)
Scorers:
Ivory Coast:
- Bony 64
- Gervinho 66
Japan:
- Honda 20
Yellow cards:
Ivory Coast:
- Bamba 54, Zakora 58
Japan
- Yoshida 23, Morishige 64
Referee: Enrique Osses (Chile)
