Ivory Coast edged out by Italy

By Tim Vickery
BBC Sport, Peru

The Ivory Coast lost 4-3 to Italy at the Under-17 World Championship

The Ivory Coast conceded a last-minute goal as they lost 4-3 to Italy in Group C of the World Under-17 Championship in Peru on Saturday.

The Baby Elephants produced football of a high technical level, with excellent passing and movement.

But the ruthless Italians took full advantage of the fact that both full backs pushed forward at the same time, which left coach Francois Bohe's side vulnerable to the ball played into the space down the flanks.

It was exactly such a pass that allowed Salvatore Foti to score Italy's heart-breaking last-minute match-winner.

On this occasion, there was no time left for Ivory Coast to find an equaliser and win a point which was the least that their performance deserved.

Three times before they had managed to hit back.

Set up by Foti, big striker Christian Tiboni twice put Italy into the lead.

The first was cancelled out by a marvellous pass from the superb Serge Kouadio, putting Alassane Diomande behind the Italian defence to chip past the advancing keeper.

The second came soon after half-time as substitute Ismael Fofana's snap left foot shot from the edge of the area appeared to surprise the Italian goalkeeper.

For a while it seemed that the Italians had settled for a point - but with typical efficiency they staged a late attempt to win the game.

On came striker Dalla Costa, who held the ball up for Mandorlini to fire home with just five minutes left.

Even so, Ivory Coast found another equaliser, when Kouadio dummied the defence and Koffi Kouassi latched on to strike his shot in off the crossbar.

It looked like the Ivory Coast would claim at least a point but there was still enough left for one last Italian attack, one more lapse in the Ivory Coast defence, and one more goal.

The result means that the Baby Elephants have it all to do in their remaining group games against North Korea and the United States.