DROGBA: Having announced his retirement from international football, we recall Didier Drogbas top five moments with Les Elephants. Whats your favourite moment? 8 October 2005 – History made and a war ended This October Saturday in Omdurman, Sudan brought a pair of hugely significant moments for the country of Côte dIvoire. Not only did the 3-1 victory over the hosts seal passage to their first ever FIFA World Cup™, but it also saw Drogba make huge strides towards ending a civil war back home. After Pierre Webos hat-trick during the 3-2 defeat to Cameroon in Abidjan had left qualification out of Côte dIvoires hands, a late Egyptian equaliser left the Indomitable Lions just two points ahead before kick-off. A second-half brace from Aruna Dindane sealed victory and a trip to Germany 2006 for Drogba and Co., and amid the joy of the dressing room the Chelsea man dropped to his knees, TV microphone in hand, and pleaded for peace in Côte dIvoire. It was just something I did instinctively, he explained two years later. All the players hated what was happening to our country and reaching the World Cup was the perfect emotional wave on which to ride. 7 February 2006 - Almost making it in Egypt Having only made the CAF Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals once since Les Elephants lifted the continental title 14 years earlier, and having been totally absent from the competition in 2004, the men in Orange had failed to dethrone the likes of neighbours Cameroon and Nigeria at the top of the West African hierarchy. So, led by Drogba, 2006 proved almost the perfect tournament for those loyal to Côte dIvoire. Almost. An epic penalty shoot-out with Cameroon in the quarter-final, where their powerful striker scored their first and last penalties in a 12-11 win – which long-time rival Samuel Etoo could not replicate, booked a final-four match with Nigeria. Drogba was again the hero, scoring just after half-time to eliminate the Super Eagles and put the soon-to-be-called Golden Generation within touching distance of greatness. However, that is where the happy memories end, with another shoot-out seeing hosts Egypt win the first of their three successive titles. 10 June 2006 - Côte dIvoire take their bow After making it to their first World Cup finals, Henri Michels side were handed a tough draw, grouped with heavyweights Argentina and the Netherlands, as well as Serbia and Montenegro. It was in front of almost 50,000 fans in Hamburg that the African nation got their first taste of action, but against the South Americans – who went out to hosts Germany in the quarter-finals on penalties – it was always set to be a tough debut. Two goals down at half-time, it was not the opening they had maybe dreamed of, but with eight minutes to go Drogba made his mark at least. Firing in after a cut-back from Bakari Kone to make it 2-1 with the first of his two goals at the World Cup, scoring the second four years later against Brazil. 1 March 2007 – Crowned as Africas No1 While on the field, Drogbas career with his country was often defined by nearly moments – with two AFCON runners-up medals and that late heartbreak in Brazil against Greece – but his contribution to the team was well recognised. Having come so close three years running beforehand, finishing behind Etoo on each occasion, Drogba finally stood top of the continental tree for individual talent as he was named the CAF Afrcian Footballer of the Year in 2006. It was one of two titles he would claim, with the next in 2009, and only he and his Cameroonian rival have appeared in the top three eight times. 14 June 2014 – One last World Cup triumph There had been doubts over whether Drogba would receive a swansong in Brazil 2014, and though he made the cut for Sabri Lamouchis squad after continuing to impress with Galatasaray, the captain began the first game on the bench – much to his frustration. However, while trailing 1-0 to Japan, and arriving with half an hour to go, his mere presence was what turned the game as midnight neared in Recife. Within minutes of his arrival, with a stretched Blue Samurai backline trying to cope with the imposing frontman, Wilfried Bony and Gervinho executed a quick-fire turnaround to earn themselves a 2-1 win, with Drogba key to the victory. DROGBA: Having announced his retirement from international football, we recall Didier Drogbas top five moments with Les Elephants. Whats your favourite moment? 8 October 2005 – History made and a war ended This October Saturday in Omdurman, Sudan brought a pair of hugely significant moments for the country of Côte dIvoire. Not only did the 3-1 victory over the hosts seal passage to their first ever FIFA World Cup™, but it also saw Drogba make huge strides towards ending a civil war back home. After Pierre Webos hat-trick during the 3-2 defeat to Cameroon in Abidjan had left qualification out of Côte dIvoires hands, a late Egyptian equaliser left the Indomitable Lions just two points ahead before kick-off. A second-half brace from Aruna Dindane sealed victory and a trip to Germany 2006 for Drogba and Co., and amid the joy of the dressing room the Chelsea man dropped to his knees, TV microphone in hand, and pleaded for peace in Côte dIvoire. It was just something I did instinctively, he explained two years later. All the players hated what was happening to our country and reaching the World Cup was the perfect emotional wave on which to ride. 7 February 2006 - Almost making it in Egypt Having only made the CAF Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals once since Les Elephants lifted the continental title 14 years earlier, and having been totally absent from the competition in 2004, the men in Orange had failed to dethrone the likes of neighbours Cameroon and Nigeria at the top of the West African hierarchy. So, led by Drogba, 2006 proved almost the perfect tournament for those loyal to Côte dIvoire. Almost. An epic penalty shoot-out with Cameroon in the quarter-final, where their powerful striker scored their first and last penalties in a 12-11 win – which long-time rival Samuel Etoo could not replicate, booked a final-four match with Nigeria. Drogba was again the hero, scoring just after half-time to eliminate the Super Eagles and put the soon-to-be-called Golden Generation within touching distance of greatness. However, that is where the happy memories end, with another shoot-out seeing hosts Egypt win the first of their three successive titles. 10 June 2006 - Côte dIvoire take their bow After making it to their first World Cup finals, Henri Michels side were handed a tough draw, grouped with heavyweights Argentina and the Netherlands, as well as Serbia and Montenegro. It was in front of almost 50,000 fans in Hamburg that the African nation got their first taste of action, but against the South Americans – who went out to hosts Germany in the quarter-finals on penalties – it was always set to be a tough debut. Two goals down at half-time, it was not the opening they had maybe dreamed of, but with eight minutes to go Drogba made his mark at least. Firing in after a cut-back from Bakari Kone to make it 2-1 with the first of his two goals at the World Cup, scoring the second four years later against Brazil. 1 March 2007 – Crowned as Africas No1 While on the field, Drogbas career with his country was often defined by nearly moments – with two AFCON runners-up medals and that late heartbreak in Brazil against Greece – but his contribution to the team was well recognised. Having come so close three years running beforehand, finishing behind Etoo on each occasion, Drogba finally stood top of the continental tree for individual talent as he was named the CAF Afrcian Footballer of the Year in 2006. It was one of two titles he would claim, with the next in 2009, and only he and his Cameroonian rival have appeared in the top three eight times. 14 June 2014 – One last World Cup triumph There had been doubts over whether Drogba would receive a swansong in Brazil 2014, and though he made the cut for Sabri Lamouchis squad after continuing to impress with Galatasaray, the captain began the first game on the bench – much to his frustration. However, while trailing 1-0 to Japan, and arriving with half an hour to go, his mere presence was what turned the game as midnight neared in Recife. Within minutes of his arrival, with a stretched Blue Samurai backline trying to cope with the imposing frontman, Wilfried Bony and Gervinho executed a quick-fire turnaround to earn themselves a 2-1 win, with Drogba key to the victory.
Posted on: Fri, 08 Aug 2014 17:33:13 +0000
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