For all the followers of the Les Elephants and the often unpredictable Japan team discuss this potential late night (early morning for the pedants) classic in this official match thread.

I think it will be a difficult match to predict, I favour the Cote D'Ivoire though I think it will be a close game, 2-1.

Can't we just call them Ivory Coast?

I think that this is most definitely one for the Sky + box to deal with, as staying up to neigh on 4am will be too much for me!

As for the game, I have a funny feeling about Japan, I think that they could do well at this tournament, albeit not quite as well as their women did in their World Cup!

So, I think that Japan will win this match 2-1 or something like that.

I wonder how much of a match report that there will be in the papers, as surely this match will finish waaaayyyyy after their deadlines.

Just being politically correct for the official thread title and op, yeah Ivory Coast is ok to.


I struggle with watching any game that isn't live for some reason, so I'll be watching the game live in its entirety for sure.

I'd love to see The Ivory Coast do well but I've always had a soft spot for Japan so my loyalties are divided, it will be an interesting game and very competitive, this being a group which any of the 4 teams could get through to round 2

This will probably be one of the matches air will not watch.

If the Cricket arrest match is over in 3 days, ai might Sky + t,

My divided loyalties between the Ivory Coast and Japan are causing me no end of trouble with this match.

Having shot an elephant for its ivory and sold it to a Japanese businessman to fashion into whisky glasses im really all over the place here.

Will do my best to stay up for it. I think its between Ivory Coast and Japan for 2nd in Group C, as Colombia should win the group and Greece are terrible. My prediction is 3-2 Ivory Coast

As long as I don't know the score of a match, (so no internet or other TV channels before I watch this!) then I can watch a match "as live", sometimes it is better, as I can x30 Chiles and the gang before the match, and at half time, and just get on with watching the action!

But I do understand where you are coming from!

Looking forward to this one, so much so that I've already ordered in some refreshing Pact Coffee to ensure I'm wide awake for kick off.

For me the best match in last years confederation cup featured Japan and Italy, I'll be rooting for Japan.

Gutted I'll be missing this. I was looking forward to the 2am match since it was announced but then I realised that I'm going to the cricket at Lord's on the Sunday so I can't stay up till 4. Might try and watch the 1st half.

Hope for your sake the test Match is over in 3 days.

That would probably mean England had been routed again though

Any good tactics in how to stay up for this match.

Woke up at about 8:00 today, and can see myself being really knackered by 2:00.

Having a BBQ for the England match, dont think I've got the stamina to stay up for this one. Should be a good match though, Japan apparently play very attacking football and Ivory Coast have some good attacking players.

Squeeze in a nap somewhere.

Then black coffee & Red Bull.

Not sure who I want to win this, I guess whoever plays better and who wants it more. England will be watching all of the Group C teams with great interest, if by any chance England get through

Be a good contrast in styles the big physical approach of the Ivory Coast verses the small running style of play from japan

I'm a big fan of Keisuke Honda but not enough to stay up til 4am alas.

Why didn't you refer to Japan as Nippon?

Edit: I'm just messing around btw, I don't care one jot. It is a bit of a weird double-standard when you think about it, people thinking it should be Côte d'Ivoire but never Nippon, Deutschland or Suomi for example, but it's hardly something to lose sleep over.

Yeah your right, it would have made this thread's light hearted intentions a bit too obvious though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivory_Coast#Names
Thata why it's the Côte d'Ivoire

OP, how about République de Côte d'Ivoire

I'll be staying up for this one.

Just wondering, is this the latest time a live World Cup match has ever started in the UK? I know there were a few 12.30am kickoffs here in the 1994 World Cup, but I can't remember any later ones.