Among the underdog teams headed for SA 2010, none seems to be as dangerous as the Ivory Coast. Today’s match with Germany proved that the African squad could hold their own without their national treasure, Didier Drogba, in the lineup. Talk of infighting suggested that Salomon Kalou would sit out for discplinary reasons, though he found his way onto the pitch. And even Kalou, certainly the second-highest profile player in the country, seemed to be swept up in a team-oriented display that had no real use for extravagance. They were at times a completely cohesive unit.

It’s difficult to judge the German squad so close to the loss of Robert Enke. When they play well, there is no stopping them. But it’s also not fair to make excuses for a team of their quality. They managed to pull off a draw against a formidable opponent. There is no telling which of these teams will have the bigger impact in South Africa, but it was interesting to seem them square off.

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