The Ivory Coast plays Japan on Saturday in the group stage of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. The match starts at 9:00 p.m. ET. Watch the live stream or listen to the radio broadcast via the links provided below.
Japan, winners of the Asian championship, head into Saturday's match with few expecting them to advance out of the Group C, which contains Colombia, Ivory Coast and Greece. Still, with the talents of Shinji Kagawa and Keisuke Honda, Japan boss Alberto Zaccheroni is confident his team can surprise the doubters.
"I want us to be really well prepared mentally for this match," Zaccheroni said, via the Telegraph. "We need to make sure the players are not too nervous when they step out onto the field, but we cannot be too relaxed either. We have a squad with an average age of about 27. There is a good balance and I am sure we will start this game with the right approach."
Japan skipper Makoto Hasebe, who previously suffered a knee injury, is expected to start, according to the Telegrapgh.
Ivory Coast, meanwhile, will rely on overpowering Japan behind African Player of the Year Yaya Toure and defender Serge Aurier. Ivory coast manager Sabri Lamouchi believes the changes he's brought to the national team will help the squad advance from the group stage.
"In the last two years I have brought my ideas, my methods. I can assure you we have worked very well," he said. "We have brought in younger players because we also need to prepare the future. It is true that we have great players, international class players like Drogba, Yaya Toure and Gervinho, but this generation has still not won anything and we need to find out why that is."
Watch the live stream HERE, HERE and HERE, or listen to the radio broadcast HERE.
