Argentina grabbed a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast on Saturday to kick-off their World Cup quest. Hernan Crespo broke the deadlock in the 24th minute before Javier Saviola sent the Argentineans to the lockers with a two-goal lead. Ivory Coast captain Didier Drogba sparked his team into life eight minutes from time but the African Cup finalists failed to tie the score in the remaining period. Argentina topped Group C with three points and wait for the second match between Holland and Serbia on Sunday. Ivory Coast coach Henri Michel deployed Drogba as a lone striker with Abdul-Kader Keita supporting him from the midfield. Didier Zokora and Yaya Toure played as holding midfielders, with Kanga Akale and Bonaventure Kalou racing down the left and right flanks respectively. The Ivorians started the game confidently and split possession with Argentina who launched several attacking waves in search for an early goal. Argentina had a disallowed goal in the 15th minute when goalkeeper Jean-Jacques Tizie failed to hold on to a Roberto Ayala powerful header that slipped from his hands and crossed the goal line.
However, the referee waved the play on amid protests from the Argentineans. But Crespo grabbed the nine minutes latter as he benefited from a goal-mouth scramble and poked a first-timer home from a close range. Juan Roman Riquelme, who played on the left instead of his usual role as a central attacking midfielder, slipped a silky pass to the darting Saviola whose first touch beat Tizie for the second goal. Keita failed to narrow the gap in the closing stages of the first period when he headed a weak ball into the hands of Roberto Abbondanzieri. Argentina set their rhythm after the break and remained dangerous even when they returned back in numbers to preserve the two-goal lead. The Ivorians had many attempts on target but neither of them bothered a steady Abbondanzieri until the 82nd minute. Substitute Aruna Dindane crossed the ball on the floor for Drogba who converted it home to pull one back.
