It's half-time as I write, with the score standing at 0-0 reflecting a fairly even game.

Kolo had possibly the best chance of the match 5 minutes before the break, when a corner from the right was deflected to him at the far post. But he couldn't react quickly enough to get the shot on target.

See BBC live comments (or watch it on the telly: BBC3).

We have to say that while we hope the Ivorians win, all Arsenal fans will be hoping very much that we don't see a repeat of what happened with Kanu in 2000 and then Lauren in 2002.

Before the latter tournament, Arsene Wenger had stressed to all players involved the importance of coming straight back to help the club that pays their wages. This followed Kanu's going AWOL in Africa after not even winning the 2000 final (they lost to Cameroon, the winner being scored by Rigobert, uncle to our own Alexandre Song)).

But Lauren won the cup in 2002 and was late back anyway, amid reports that the Cameroonian authorities had confiscated the squad's passports in order to force them to go meet the President! Let's hope Kolo and Emmanuel have hidden their passports down their shinpads.