HOME > AFCON 2012 > NEWS > COTE DIVOIRE GOALKEEPER BOUBACAR BARRY COPA STRENGTH AND AGGRESSION HELPED US AGAINST MALI

Cote d'Ivoire goalkeeper Boubacar Barry Copa: Strength and aggression helped us against Mali

Copa: We don't want to repeat our mistakes

Posted: 2012-02-10 09:00

Goalkeeper Boubacar Barry Copa says strength and aggression helped Ivory Coast against Mali, but admits 'Zambia will be difficult'.

Cote d'Ivoire defeated Mali on Wednesday to qualify for the final of the 28th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, and the Elephants keeper says the right attitude helped his side triumph.

In an interview with Goal.com, the Elephants' goalkeeper Boubacar Barry Copa, who plays for Belgian club Lokeren, discussed the encounter and what he expects against Zambia on Sunday.

Many people were not expecting to see you play against Mali owing to an ankle injury.

Barry Copa: Yes, but our medical staff did a very great job to make me fit enough to play.

Mali were unable to break the Ivorian jinx once again.

Copa: [laughs] It's football. I think we met one of the strongest Malian squads ever. You can see the slim score of 1-0 we used to triumph. It showed they were as competitive and determined. Although we missed a number of chances to increase the lead, they also had chances to pull level and do more.

We hear your coach Francois Zahoui insists more on not conceding rather than scoring, and that probably paid off again because you are yet to concede any goals at the tournament.

Copa: It's part of our objective. We came to the 2012 Afcon with care, caution and experience from our past setbacks. We don't want to repeat the mistakes of focusing blindly on scoring and forgetting to watch our back. Even if we score modestly, we are more attentive to what's happening in our back half.

We saw a very physical Ivorian side both in defence and upfront, with Gosso Gosso, Bamba Souleman and Kolo Toure impeccably covering you, and the links between Yaya Toure, Drogba, Gervoinho and Kalou functioning like never before. Can we attribute your success to these?

Copa: Exactly. You know Mali players are tall and very good in the air, so we couldn't have used kicking and moving alone. We applied physical strength and tight aggression as well to counter their push.

But then we were expecting much from Yaya because that seems to be his speciality, but he left us yawning.

Copa: No, Yaya was great, but I think after being hit several times with the referee not reacting, he felt frustrated, but he kept on nicely. He was the man of the midfield and even attempted scoring in a number of occasions.

Zambia now stand in your way to clinching the long over-due Afcon title.

Copa: The Chipolopolo are very dangerous, but we'll try to maintain our usual attitude of humility and respect for our adversaries. They got here because they are strong so it's going to be a tough game like you should expect, so stop calling us favourites for the final.

Drogba was angry with the written press for criticising Gervinho's performance in your previous matches, but his goal sent the Elephants to the final.

Copa: I invite the press to be patient. We had six games to play, if a player didn't perform well in one game he could make up for the next one, so Drogba was right for calling on the press to take it easy.

How has your dawn till dusk fasting helped you personally in this tournament?

Copa: Good question. I'm a religious person. I have been fasting since the beginning of the competition and I will continue till the final. Abstaining from food, water and drinks, keeps me purified, strong and spiritually focused during games.

Meanwhile CAF has announced that the kick-off time for Sunday's 2012 Africa Cup of Nations final will delay by 30 minutes due to "technical and logistical reasons."

Zambia and Cote d'Ivoire were scheduled to play the final at 19.00GMT in Libreville, but the continental football governing body has moved it to 19.30GMT.

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Eight: 2012-02-10 09:30

Shapa Chipolopolo Shapaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Sweyts : 2012-02-10 10:55

Now here's the weakest link right there! This keeper is far from convincing, "Phez'kwakhe maZambane!"

Shapaaaah! Chipolopolo!

Eight: 2012-02-10 10:58

SECOND EDITION

Let me start by saying thanks once again to Kickoff for the soccer news and updates we getting served with everyday on this site.

After some consideration and comparison between our forums and other forums e.g ****nal supporters forum it saddens me to see the huge difference in a sense that we South Africans tend to take advantage of the platform given to us to ABUSE and MISUSE the facilities by insulting our own coaches, players, opposition supporters and our team’s management. If you put yourself in the shoes of the likes of e.g Shabalala who is been called “Nyawana”, Ndulula who is been called “used condom”, and all the other guys who are been called names, how would you feel mara he???

A forum is made for us supporters to work hand in hand with the technical team for the betterment of our beloved teams. There is nothing wrong in criticizing and giving nicknames but let us do it professionally and constructively. I do not think that most players, coaches or any team management take us supporters seriously anymore because of our own doing on our respective forums, that is why most bloggers use fake/multiple usernames to logon sites.

Excuse my English, it is not my mother tongue after all.

Ubuntu Ma-Africa

Enough is Enough

Yours
8

Pirates hae jewe feela (Tau ya Matshega)
Pirates in not a one skipper (Good Enough)
Pirates Dumela (OPFC Mass Choir)

bechang: 2012-02-10 18:50

we need to teech them and show them their mistakes in the field for 45 minutes then break time for 15 minutes and back to class for another 45 minutes and that teeching will require lecturers like katongo chris and mayuka and the one to recomend that they are fit to play for 2013 africa cup in southern africa is keneddy meene.viva southern africa!!!!!!!viva zambia.

the legacy : 2012-02-11 12:43

khune must nt ply til nxt year n i wnt 2 ply 4 chief n srce goal