Ivory Coast v Serbia and Montenegro - Match Report

Elephants charge to victory to restore pride

Ivory Coast overcame a two goal deficit on Wednesday to secure a 3-2 victory over Serbia Montenegro in a hotly contested consolation thriller in Group C.

Bolstered by a four-strong strikeforce in the second half, the Elephants left the World Cup with their first ever points in the tournament while the Serbs ended with none - both teams ended the match with 10 men.

It was at least a spirited performance by Serbia and Montenegro following their 6-0 drubbing by Argentina which had forced coach Ilija Petkovic to step down when the team gets home.

After being reduced to ten men in the first-half, the team from the Balkans battled to retain their 2-1 half time lead against the African Nations Cup finalists, owing their tenuous hold on the lead to goalkeeper Dragoslav Jevric's outstretched foot and the woodwork.

Despite being eliminated from the World Cup, both heavily-changed teams went at it hammer and tongs from the start before a capacity 66,000 crowd in a bid to restore their pride.

Although Ivory Coast had the best of the play in the first ten minutes, their trio of newcomers at the back were caught out by long high balls from Serbia and Montenegro's.

Inter Milan midfielder Dejan Stankovic's looping high pass from the halfway line in the 10th minute found the tall figure of lone striker Nikola Zigic, who easily shrugged off Blaise Kouassi and the Elephants' goalkeeper Boubacar Barry to put the ball in the net.

Ten minutes later, goalkeeper Dragolav Jevric's outstretched foot saved Serbia and Montenegro from a close range effort by Kader Keita, but despite being stranded the Serbian goalkeeper was relieved to see Aruna Dindane's header miss an empty net.

The Serbs extended their lead immediately.

The Elephants veteran captain Cyrille Domoraud managed to stop Zigic reaching the long pass, but he unfortunatey sidefooted the ball across the goalmouth to Sasa Ilic, who pounced on the error to score the Serbs' second.

The Ivory Coast deservedly pulled one back with a penalty through Dindane after Milan Dudic blatantly handled a high cross before it fell to the unmarked Arouna Kone.

Serbia and Montenegro's fortunes plummeted even further when shortly before the half time whistle, substitute Albert Nadj, who had come on for the injured Mladen Krstajic playing his last match for the national side, received his second yellow card for a sliding tackle from behind.

Ivory Coast coach Henri Michel took full advantage as in what is likely to be his last match in charge he threw two more strikers into his line up during the second half as the Elephants charged forward, creating havoc for Serbia and Montenegro.

After hitting the woodwork, and being deprived by Jevric's foot again, Dindane finally broke through in the 67th minute, heading down past Jevric to bring the two sides level.

The Elephants finally took the lead through a penalty - awarded for handball - by substitute Bonaventure Kalou in the 86th minute and although Domoraud was sent-off in time added on it was too late for the Serbs.