Argentina shade thriller

Argentina 2 Ivory Coast 1: Didier Drogba's Ivory Coast were denied a deserved draw in a pulsating encounter with Argentina.

Under the admiring gaze of the greatest player they have ever produced, Diego Maradona, Argentina seemed set to coast home after Hernan Crespo and Javier Saviola profited from the excellent work of Juan Roman Riquelme to give the South Americans a two-goal lead at the break.

The interval scoreline was harsh on the Ivorians, who sped about the pitch like lightning bolts and created a series of half chances, all of which went begging.

But, just as the life was starting to ebb from their legs, Drogba turned home an Arthur Boka cut-back eight minutes from time and from that moment on, Argentina were the ones hanging on.

In the end though, from his position in the VIP seats, Maradona was able to raise his arms in triumph, although the manner of victory will probably have not done much for his blood pressure.

After their disastrous group stage exit four years ago, Argentina are in no mood to book an early flight home this time, even though they have been dumped in the hardest group of all, with Serbia and Montenegro and Holland also lying in wait.

And, with wonderboy Lionel Messi waiting in the wings to make his entrance, there is enough quality in the ranks to suggests the faith of their fanatical supporters may not be misplaced.

But the Ivory Coast can look back on their World Cup bow with equal satisfaction.

With a bit more ruthlessness in front of goal, they could easily have snatched a share of the spoils and, while defeat will do little for their chances of advancing to the last 16, with a bit more improvement, a place in the knock-out stage is not beyond them.