Archiv » Cote dIvoire team and Wilfried Bony and

RECIFE, Brazil - Didier Drogba came off the bench to inspire Cote dIvoire to a 2-1 comeback victory over Japan in a World Cup Group C match on Saturday. Drogba, who had been carrying an injury, came on in the 62nd minute when his team was losing 1-0. The talismanic strikers arrival immediately lifted Cote dIvoire team and Wilfried Bony and Gervinho scored with headers two minutes apart. Both goals were set up by curling crosses from defender Serge Aurier. Coach Sabri Lamouchis inspired substitution negated Keisuke Hondas first half goal that had given Japan the lead in a group that also includes Colombia and Greece. Colombia beat Greece 3-0 earlier on Saturday. The 36-year-old former Chelsea star started for Cote dIvoire in the last two World Cups, but neither of those sides made it out of group play. He probably lacks the fitness to play 90 minutes these days, but his impact as a substitute can be dramatic, as was shown on a rainy night in Recife. Now Cote dIvoire is in good shape to advance to the second round for the first time. Next up is Colombia, the group leader by virtue of goal difference. That match is Thursday, as is Japans next test against Greece. Japan had the better of the play in the first half, taking a lead through Hondas hard left-footed strike from about 12 yards in the 16th minute. Yuto Nagatomo slid a pass across the edge of the penalty area to Honda, who settled the ball cleanly with his right foot before belting his 21st career international goal under the cross bar and inside the near post. Japan had several chances to widen its lead in the opening 45 minutes, and will rue missing them. Just minutes after Hondas goal, Japan defender Atsuto Uchida made a run down the right and unloaded a point-blank shot that Cote dIvoire goalkeeper Boubacar Barry parried. Hondas curling shot from the edge of the penalty area soon after forced Barry to make a leaping save. Cote dIvoire dominated the second half but the sluggish-looking team was making little headway until the arrival of Drogba galvanized it. Within minutes, Bonys angled header found the goal and then Gervinho scored with a near post header that goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima should have saved. Japan could not make any impression on Cote dIvoire defence in the remaining 20 minutes. The game marked the World Cup debut for Lamouchi, a 42-year-old Frenchman of Moroccan descent who was widely seen as a surprise hire in 2012. It was also an unpopular move among fans in Cote dIvoire, who favoured a more experienced coach for a team which has been to the previous two World Cups, and which has a number of players who have flourished in Europes top professional leagues. SEOUL, South Korea - Long-track speedskater Laurent Debreuil won bronze in the mens 500 metres Sunday for his first career World Cup medal while fellow Canadian Ivanie Blondin added bronze in the womens mass start.Dubreuil, from Levis, Que., finished third in 35.35 seconds. Pavel Kultzhinikov of Russia won gold in 35.18 seconds and South Koreas Mo Tae-Bum took silver in 35.32.I felt really good during my race and I knew when I saw my time that my chances of being on the podium were good, said Dubreuil. The wait after my skate was long and stressful, because there were still five pairs left to the competition.But Im extremely happy with third place and that my time was good enough to hold up for bronze.Dubreuil won the 2012 world junior title in the 500 metres.Blondin, meanwhile, continued her strong start to the season by finished third in seven minutes 45.06 seconds. The 24-year-old Ottawa skater won tthe season-opening mass start last week in Japan and took bronze in the 5,000 metres on Friday.dddddddddddd.Martina Sablikova of the Czech Republic won gold Sunday in 7:42.96, followed by Irene Schouten of the Netherlands in 7:45.05.I felt pretty confident going into the race, said Blondin. It was just a matter of placing myself in the right position and draft as much as I could. Im extremely happy with a bronze medal.Blondin, who has won six career individual World Cup medals, finished fifth in the womens 1,000 metres earlier in the day. Reginas Kali Christ was 12th in the 1,000 and 15th in the mass start.In the mens mass start, Winnipegs Tyler Derraugh of Winnipeg was 14th and Rob Watson of Whitby, Ont., was 24th. Gilmore Junio of Calgary was eighth in the mens 500 metres while William Dutton of Humboldt, Sask., was 21st.The third World Cup of the season is set for Dec. 5-7 in Berlin. 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