Ivory Coast Bows Out Against Serbia & Montenegro

In a game that’s expected to attract a viewership in the upper hundreds, Africa’s once-brightest hope, Ivory Coast, will see their expedition to Germany come to a close, during tonight’s clash with lowly, but lowly, Serbia & Montenegro. Both teams are playing for a trophy called “pride”, which, apparently, doesn’t exist in three dimensions, unlike the one called “the FIFA World Cup winner’s trophy”.

If the Ivorians had done better, then the evening’s other match, Argentina vs. the Netherlands, would have had a bit more anticipatory juice. As it is, the once inducing-of-salivation Group of Death is but a shadow of its former self. The real West African action commences tomorrow afternoon, when the final Group E games get underway, and Ghana meet the USA.