Petra Cahill Reporter • E-mail

NEW YORK — The joyous shouts of “Voilà! and Allez-y!” from the crowd gathered at the Ivoire Restaurant on Saturday turned to sad groans as Ivory Coast lost its first World Cup match against Argentina.

But the 2-1  result in the first match of super-tough Group C, described by some sports commentators as the "group of death," is unlikely to dampen the spirits of soccer supporters from this war-torn nation — fans who have become united by their first chance to compete on soccer’s international world stage.

Divided by a north-south civil war since 2002, the national team, known as the Elephants, is made up of a mix of players from different ethnic and religious groups. With all eyes on the World Cup, the team has bonded the country, with the various factions putting down their weapons and respecting a cease-fire.

“For the moment, everyone is thinking about soccer and the World Cup and we have forgotten about the war,” explained Kata Kaba, a 48-year-old Ivorian expatriate living in New York. “Thanks to soccer, the country is going to reconcile its differences.” 

Strife at home
Ivory Coast, once considered a jewel of West Africa and an anchor of stability in that tumultuous region, has descended into chaos over the past decade.

In a nation made up of about 60 ethnic groups and many immigrants, tolerance had been the key to the country's success in the post-colonial era. The country’s open-door policy toward foreign workers fueled the economy and made it one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of cocoa and coffee. 

But with a downturn in world coffee prices, politicians in the late 1990s seized on long-dormant ethnic and religious rivalries in order to assert power. With a population made up of 30 percent Christians, 35 percent Muslims and 30 percent animists and a large population from neighboring countries, the notion of “Ivorité” or “true Ivorian” became a political catchphrase and served to stir up xenophobia against the predominantly Muslim north.

Tensions between the Christian south — the wealthier part of the country that had long held power — and Muslim northerners, who felt they were being discriminated against, came to a head in 2002 when rebels from the north staged an attempted coup.

Since then, thousands have been killed and the country has been split in two: rebels control the north and government forces loyal to President Laurent Gbagbo hold sway in the south. Meanwhile, a contingent of 4,000 French troops and 7,000 U.N. peacekeepers stand between the two factions, helping to maintain a fragile cease-fire.

National pride on display
The enthusiasm coming from the crowd Saturday afternoon at the Ivoire Restaurant, a no-frills eatery in the city’s Harlem section, might have fooled any bystander who wasn’t aware of the strife going on back at home.

The restaurant, its interior painted the orange of the country’s team color, was packed with a strong sense of national pride. All eyes were on the flat-screen TV broadcasting a French network’s coverage of the match. 

A young waitress in an bright orange tee-shirt and an orange, green and white belt served steaming plates of Ivorian delicacies — rice and grilled fish, fried plantains — to the largely male crowd. Strong coffee, heavily sugared tea, water or Orangina were the beverages of choice for the mostly Muslim crowd.

MORE FROM SOCCER

Soccer Section Front

U.S. rolls, reaches World Cup qualifying finals 4 MLS players added to US roster Roundup: Spain wins, England rallies after fans jeer English FA will investigate match fixing claims Latest news, rumors on Euro teams, players MLS scores, schedules, standings MLS, European matchups Scores from England, Spain, Italy, more Vote: Who will win the Champions League? iPredict: Becks will make soccer major U.S. sport Soccer Section Front   Add Soccer headlines to your news reader: