Ivory Coast seek minor miracle at WCup

Johannesburg: Ivory Coast needs one of the unlikeliest results in World Cup history if it is to prolong

its stay at the 2010 tournament. The Ivorians retain just the slimmest of mathematical chances of qualifying for the last 16 stage. Sven-Goran Eriksson`s team has to beat already-eliminated North Korea in Nelspruit in the final round of Group G matches tomorrow -- but that`s the easy part. At the same time Portugal has to lose to Brazil in Durban -- not impossible. And there also has to be a nine-goal swing in Ivory Coast`s favour -- almost inconceivable. "There`s one match to go and we owe it to ourselves to win it and hope events go in our favour," said defender Guy Demel, insisting The Elephants still retained hope of an incredible outcome. "Nothing`s over yet." World Cup history is not in Ivory Coast`s favour. A one-goal loss by Portugal to five-time champion Brazil would require the Ivorians to win by at least eight and in the 80-year history of the World Cup there have been just six matches with an 8-0 scoreline or greater. North Korea has been stung by its 7-0 defeat by Portugal, and is eager to make up for that poor display against Ivory Coast. "Tactically speaking we fell apart," said North Korea coach Kim Jung Hun, who took responsibility for the change in his team`s formation at halftime that led to six second-half goals from the Portuguese. "Back home I believe that they will look at the next game," Kim said. "We have one left. We will reinforce our mental abilities and really work well." Midfielder An Yong Hak said the mood in the locker room "wasn`t good" following the Portugal match, which was the first North Korea game abroad to be aired live prime-time on state TV in the isolated country. An said the Ivory Coast game is a chance to regain lost pride in its first World Cup appearance in 44 years. "We made a lot of mistakes that forced us to eat too many goals," he said of the pounding by Portugal, "but we`ll try our hardest to the end and do our best in the final game." North Korea showed in its opening game, when Japan-born striker Jong Tae Se set up Ji Yun Nam for a surprise goal in a brave 2-1 loss to the mighty Brazil, that it can compete with the world`s best. Eriksson said earlier this week "to beat Brazil you must be almost perfect," after his own team was outclassed by football`s most successful World Cup team. Ivory Coast will now need to be near-faultless against North Korea if they are to win by the huge margin required and it will have to chase goals with lingering doubts over the fitness of its biggest attacking threat, captain and striker Didier Drogba. Drogba has played with a protective cast after breaking his right arm in the buildup to the tournament and undergoing hasty surgery to ensure his participation. He scored what turned out to be a consolation goal in the 79th minute against Brazil but will need help from fellow forwards like Salomon Kalou, Aruna Dindane and Gervinho tomorrow after Ivory Coast failed to convert attacking opportunities in its last game. "We didn`t put our chances away and failed to make the most of our counterattacks," said Kolo Toure. "Those are the kinds of mistakes we have to avoid against North Korea. We need to be more compact and above all do better with our chances." Bureau Report