2015 AFRICA CUP - GROUP D - DAY 12 - PREVIEW
Ivory Coast vs Cameroon -:-
Mali vs Guinea -:-
PREVIEW - MATCH FACTS
• Cameroon have kept clean sheets in five of their seven Nations Cup games against Ivory Coast
• The Indomitable Lions won five and drew two of those seven meetings, although the two draws went to penalty shootouts, both of which Ivory Coast won, in 1992 and 2006.
• That shootout in 2006, won by Ivory Coast 12:11, was the highest-scoring shoot out in Afcon history
• Cameroon have gone seven Nations Cup matches without a clean sheet
• Ivory Coast are winless in their last four Nations Cup fixtures
• The Elephants are unbeaten in their last 13 Nations Cup group games
• Ivory Coast's last seven Nations Cup goals have come after half-time
Group D could be decided by the drawing of lots on Wednesday with all four teams going into the final matches with identical records.
All previous games have ended 1:1, with Cameroon playing Ivory Coast and Guinea playing Mali in the group deciders.
If teams end on the same records, lots will be drawn in the post-match news conference to decide who progresses.
This happened at the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations to send Algeria through at the expense of Ivory Coast.
The 2015 Elephants team will hope to win and thereby avoid a similar fate.
"Cameroon have experienced players in every department.
For us, except for Kolo Toure, we have no other experienced defender,"
Ivory Coast coach Herve Renard said.
"It is a match that will be decided by little details.
Concentration, an ability to take our chances and defensive rigour will all be important.
Whichever team shows a little less of these things will go home."
Recent history suggests Cameroon are best placed to win this encounter, though. The
Indomitable Lions won their qualifying group ahead of the Ivorians, trouncing the Elephants 4:1 in Yaounde in September before drawing 0:0 in the return match in Abidjan in November.
Cameroon coach Volker Finke said:
"We go for a win,''
"But I know we have to work very hard against the ball.
There are excellent individual players in the team of Ivory Coast.''
Ivory Coast will be without midfielder Cheick Tiote and forward Gervinho, who are suspended.
Max Gradel could start after coming off the bench to grab a late equaliser against Mali and Salomon Kalou is also hoping for a recall to the starting XI.
Cameroon are set to once again be without midfielder Eyong Enoh, who injured his left thigh in the opening match against Mali.