The Hindu : Sport / Football : Money at stake for the Serbians

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Wednesday, Jun 21, 2006

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Money at stake for the Serbians

MUNICH: What looked like a meaningless World Cup match between two teams already eliminated has a little more intrigue, now that there are financial consequences to it — at least for one team.

Serbia and Montenegro enters its match against Ivory Coast on Wednesday with the threat that federation officials will withhold bonuses of 500,000 euros if they don't show some recovery from a 6-0 loss to Argentina, the most one-sided game at the World Cup so far.

Team spokesman Aleksandar Boskovic has said players could still share the bonus, but only if they go down "with some dignity."

The game will mark the last time Serbia and the soon-to-be-independent country of Montenegro play as one team — not that it will affect this line-up much.

The only player on the roster from Montenegro right now is goalkeeper Dragoslav Jevric.

Ivory Coast plays for pride

Ivory Coast players haven't had any such financial threats as they continue to look for their country's first victory in its World Cup debut. After a pair of one-goal losses to Argentina and the Netherlands, the Elephants see their finale in Germany as a launching point for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

"We could have done something great here at the World Cup," lamented coach Henri Michel, who said both of his team's defeats hinged on a couple key mistakes.

"It turned out otherwise, but it shows there's some hope for the future for Ivory Coast," said Michel.

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, who has been the main draw of autograph seekers at the team's training ground in Troisdorf, will be suspended for the game after receiving yellow cards in each of the first two matches.

"It will be hard to tell how they will handle that last game.

"The possibility is that they will try to win it just for pride."

Not to mention some extra cash. — AP

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