Hamburg, June 11 :

Argentina kept the Elephants from dancing in their World Cup debut. Hernan Crespo and Javier Saviola took advantage of some shaky defence to score first-half goals, leading Argentina over Ivory Coast 2-1 on Saturday in the first game of what many think is the toughest group at the World Cup.

Didier Drogba, a key to Chelsea’s two straight English Premier League titles, got Ivory Coast’s goal in the 82nd minute, just missing a header, and then converting from out in front after the ball was played back.

Lionel Messi, Argentina’s rising 18-year-old star who plays for European champion FC Barcelona, did not get into the game, which featured entertaining, end-to-end action.

After being outplayed early, Argentina nearly went ahead in the 14th minute when Roberto Ayala had a powerful header from about 10 yards off Juan Roman Riquelme’s corner kick. The ball bounced off the hands of goalkeeper Jean-Jacques Tizie and his right post, then came back at least partially — and maybe completely over the line. Tizie, his back to the field, bobbled it before gathering it in, and Argentine players argued after Belgian referee Frank De Bleeckere failed to signal a goal.

Crespo scored in the 24th off a free kick by Riquelme. The ball bounced off a leaping Drogba and bounced into the penalty area, where Crespo kicked it in from about 5 meters (yards) for his 30th goal in 56 international appearances. Drogba argued to no avail that he had been fouled by Gabriel Heinze. Saviola got Argentina’s second goal in the 38th, breaking ahead to receive Riquelme’s through ball. Tizie came out and Saviola slotted the ball in from the left of the penalty spot for his 10th international goal. Replays showed that Saviola and Crespo, who was on the left side, were nearly offside.

T&T vs Sweden

DORTMUND: Shaka Hislop, Dwight Yorke and Trinidad and Tobago did more than just show up at the World Cup.

Despite playing nearly the entire second half with 10 men, the Soca Warriors played like they belong on soccer’s biggest stage, earning a 0-0 draw with Sweden in Group B.

Hislop turned aside countless chances from the heavily favoured Swedes, and Yorke provided a steadying influence. As the final whistle blew, the Trinidad players mobbed Hislop in his goal. After the dejected Swedes left the field, Yorke led his teammates to the stands where they applauded their fans who had waited years for this game.

Despite a decided edge in experience and talent, as well as the one-man advantage after Avery John was sent off in the 46th minute, Sweden couldn’t end its opening-match funk. Sweden, which has more players on its current squad from the 2002 World Cup than any other team in Germany, is now winless in seven opening matches since 1958, with two losses and five draws.

Trinidad and Tobago was the smallest country ever to reach the World Cup and needed to beat Bahrain in a playoff just to get here. Trinidad coach Leo Beenhakker used a defensive game plan with Yorke playing deeper than usual. Trinidad got even more defensive after John was sent off for receiving his second yellow card in the 46th minute for a foul on Christian Wilhelmsson. But Hislop stepped up with big save after big save, including a sliding stop off a shot from Marcus Allback in the 80th minute.