And we're off at the Olympics. Argentina are one of the favorites to win the gold medal in Beijing, they have brought Riquelme and Mascherano in the midfield and Anderlecht defender Pareja as the 3 over 23 players accepted in the team. Besides them, players like ustari, Gago or Aguero form this wonderfull team. Watching the match against Japan played on the 30th of July in Asia I could see a talented ARgentinian side who easily creats chances to score, while in defence they sufered at set pieces, but they did not concede and ended the match with a 1-0 win, despite Japan having their fans supporting them. Here is Argentina's team: 1 Oscar USTARI
2 Ezequiel GARAY
3 Luciano MONZON
4 Pablo ZABALETA
5 Fernando GAGO
6 Federico FAZIO
7 Jose SOSA
8 Ever BANEGA
9 Ezequiel LAVEZZI
10 Juan RIQUELME
11 Angel DI MARIA
12 Nicolas PAREJA
13 Lautaro ACOSTA
14 Javier MASCHERANO
15 Lionel MESSI
16 Sergio AGUERO
17 Diego BUONANOTTE
18 Sergio ROMERO
Ivory Coast were the most prolific team in the African qualifiers but it really means little when we compare to African defences. Their goalkeeper already conceded a goal from the other goalkeeper on the field in a friendly match against Korea, lost 2-1, but in truth they were run ragged, and could have lost 4,5-0.
1 Vincent ANGBAN
2 Serge WAWA
3 Ousmane Viera DIARRASSOUBA
4 Souleymane BAMBA
5 Brou ANGOUA
6 Herve KAMBOU
7 Kafoumba COULIBALY
8 Salomon KALOU
9 Franck DJA DJEDJE
10 Emmanuel KONE
11 Anthony MOURA
12 Mamadou BAGAYOKO
13 Abraham GUIE-GUIE
14 GERVINHO
15 Ladji TAMLA
16 Christian OKOUA
17 Antoine N GOSSAN
18 Sekou CISSE
I can't see Ivory Coast leaving this match without 2 goals in their net, they are inferior to Argentina, and odds are somehow wrong, I wouldn't have offered more than 1.30 with or without Messi in the starting line-up. For those more daring, Argentina(-1) is also tempting.
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