According to goal

The AC Milan man had put Alberto Zaccheroni’s men into the lead but two nodded goals in the second half sealed a comeback, inspired by Didier Drogba’s substitute arrival.

Second-half headers from Wilfried Bony and Gervinho completed a Cote d’Ivoire comeback as they defeated Japan 2-1 on Saturday.

Keisuke Honda put Alberto Zaccheroni’s men into the lead with a wonderful finish, controlling the ball in the box with his first touch then hammering into the top corner at the near post with his second touch.

Sabri Lamouchi’s team were profligate in the first half but Didier Drogba’s arrival in the second half sparked the Elephants into life and quickfire headers midway through the second half turned the scoreline on its head.

Full-back Serge Aurier created both goals with impressive crosses from the right with Bony and Gervinho taking advantage, although the latter benefited from poor goalkeeping from Japan’s Eiji Kawashima.

Saturday’s game was the first time Cote d’Ivoire have won their opening fixture at a World Cup as the African nation look to claim a maiden berth in the knockout stages in their third consecutive appearance at the global tournament.

The shock in the two starting line-ups was the absence of captain Drogba from Cote d’Ivoire’s XI, after he failed to recover from a thigh strain suffered at training on Wednesday.

Bony took Drogba’s spot up front, while coach Sabri Lamouchi made two other changes to the XI that began Cote d’Ivoire’s 2-1 win over El Salvador with Kolo Toure – who had struggled with malaria before the tournament – and Max Gradel being replaced by Didier Zokora and Yaya Toure.

Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni recalled Makoto Hasebe after the captain recovered from a knee injury to make just his third appearance for club or country this year.

Hasebe started as one of two holding midfielders alongside Hotaru Yamaguchi, while Yuya Osako got the nod in Japan’s most troublesome position: centre forward.

Of the four strikers in Zaccheroni’s squad, Osako was the only one yet to have scored for Japan in 2014 but started at the point of their attack ahead of Shinji Okazaki, Yoshito Okubo and Yoichiro Kakitani.

Okazaki started on the right wing, while Okubo and Kakitani were named on the bench.

Cote d’Ivoire had 59.7 per cent possession in the first half with the Africans starting stronger, as Bony received the ball in the box before his shot was deflected past the post in the sixth minute.

But Japan edged their way into the game and in the 16th minute they hit the front.

Yuto Nagatomo collected a throw-in and fed Honda on the edge of the box, and the Milan man slipped away from his marker and fired a thunderous strike into the top corner.

Atsuto Uchida could have made it 2-0 five minutes later but the full-back’s powerful drive was parried by Boubacar Barry, before Cote d’Ivoire’s goalkeeper was almost chipped by Honda.

While the Elephants had more of the ball, they generally struggled to break down Japan’s well-organised defence and their best opportunities came on the counter-attack.

After Yaya Toure and Arthur Boka just missed the target with free kicks, Gervinho got free on the break in the 34th minute only for a scrambling Maya Yoshida to block his shot with a sliding challenge.

Honda slalomed through the opposition defence soon after only to watch his deflected shot loop over the bar, while Cote d’Ivoire had a couple of half chances to Salomon Kalou and Boka but were unable to beat Kawashima.

After a frantic first half, the second started slightly slower but in the 57th minute Cote d’Ivoire had a penalty claim ignored after Yaya Toure’s drive into the box ended with a stumble following Yoshida’s sliding challenge.

Drogba was brought on in the 62nd minute for Serey Die and almost created a goal immediately with a back-heel to Gervinho before Japan’s defence scrambled the ball clear.

But Cote d’Ivoire fans did not need to wait long for an equaliser with Bony getting between Yoshida and Masato Morishige to nod Aurier’s fine cross past Kawashima in the 64th minute.

A cross from Aurier set up Cote d’Ivoire’s second goal soon after but Kawashima would have been unhappy with his effort, failing to stop Gervinho’s header despite getting two hands to the ball at the near post.

Kawashima did better in the 82nd minute, parrying Drogba’s free-kick away, while the striker had a shot deflected past the post soon after.

But it mattered little as Cote d’Ivoire moved into second in Group C behind Colombia ahead of their clash on Thursday, while Japan face Greece on the same day.

According to Goal

Claudio Marchisio and Mario Balotelli sandwiched a Daniel Sturridge strike to give Cesare Prandelli’s men all three points from their opener against Roy Hodgson’s charges.

Italy made the perfect start to their World Cup campaign, beating Group D rivals England 2-1 in Manaus on Saturday.

Labelled as the ‘rumble in jungle’ heading into the match, Italy continued their domination over England thanks to goals from Claudio Marchisio and Mario Balotelli at the Arena Amazonia.

Daniel Sturridge had England on level terms at half-time, after cancelling out Marchisio’s 35th-minute opener within two minutes.

But Balotelli repaid the faith shown in him by coach Cesare Prandelli, popping up to head home the winner five minutes after the break as England were left with just two wins in their past 12 international meetings against Italy.

The Azzurri are back in action against Costa Rica on Friday, while England face Uruguay a day earlier.

Roy Hodgson made just one change from the team that stuttered to a goalless draw against Honduras in their final warm-up match, with Raheem Sterling free from suspension to replace Adam Lallana in midfield.

It was a different story for Italy, who were forced into two changes.

Captain Gianluigi Buffon failed to overcome an ankle strain and was replaced by Salvatore Sirigu in goal, while full-back Mattia De Sciglio also dropped out through injury and Matteo Darmian took his place in the starting XI.

Up front, Prandelli decided to stick with wayward striker Balotelli, despite Ciro Immobile’s hat-trick display against Brazilian club Fluminense midweek.

According to Goal

Dutch maestros Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben inspired Holland to a stunning, unthinkable 5-1 win over defending champions Spain in a thrilling WC encounter.

The Dutch – coached by incoming Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal – avenged their defeat by the same opponents in the 2010 final in outrageous style, with four unanswered goals in an irresistible second-half display in Salvador.

Van Persie and Robben scored two apiece, with each man’s first a minor classic in its own right. Defender Stefan de Vrij scored his side’s third.

Vicente Del Bosque’s side, who also lost their opener against Switzerland four years ago, had actually taken the lead through Xabi Alonso’s disputed penalty – a lead they held until Van Persie’s instinctive flying header levelled matters just before the break.

After that, Holland were rampant, laying a big marker down for the remainder of the tournament and raising the prospect of a Brazil-Spain second-round clash.

Holland should have taken the lead after just eight minutes, but Wesley Sneijder botched a wonderful opening.

Robben produced the pass that sent Sneijder bearing in on goal but he snatched at his lofted shot and allowed Iker Casillas to thrust his right glove up and make the save.

Spain rallied quickly from that scare and soon began to stamp themselves on the game.

By 20 minutes the Dutch were being dictated to by Xavi, Iniesta, David Silva and Xabi Alonso, with Ron Vlaar producing at least two desperate blocks.

The controversial penalty followed in the 26th minute, starting with Xavi’s beautifully weighted pass for Costa.

He surged into the area and took two touches before turning De Vrij, who appeared in real time to trip him.

By the time Xabi Alonso had buried the spot-kick, replays showed Costa apparently initiating contact.

Holland responded positively but needed Jasper Cillessen to paw clear Silva’s instinctive lob after a glorious pass from Iniesta in the 43rd minute.

That paved the way for Van Persie’s leveller, the Manchester United man reading the space perfectly as he leapt to head Daley Blind’s hanging cross high over the helpless Casillas.

The reaction was rampant, not least from the high-fiving Van Gaal on the touchline.

The celebrations were even better eight minutes into the second half, when a piece of Robben magic gave them the lead.

Van Persie’s chip picked out his team-mate, but he had plenty still to do as he controlled the ball brilliantly with the outside of his boot before turning Gerard Pique and Sergio Ramos, converting with a slight deflection off the latter.

Things might have unravelled completely for the holders had the referee spotted Costa’s apparent headbutt on Bruno Martins Indi, but the incident went unseen.

There was no holding Holland back, though, Van Persie cracking a volley against the crossbar on the hour before De Vrij made it 3-1 from Sneijder’s curling free-kick.

Casillas came to claim but failed, with De Vrij on hand to bundle home at the far post.

The pace only increased from there, Silva’s close-range finish chalked off for offside before Holland extended their lead to three in the 72nd minute.

Casillas was wholly culpable this time, turning a harmless back pass into one dreadful touch and an open goal for the alert Van Persie.

Robben completed Spain’s misery with 10 minutes left, collecting Sneijder’s pass and then reducing Casillas and his defenders to a floundering mess as he made room for an emphatic finish.

Holland might have scored two more had they been more clinical, and Spain’s Fernando Torres made a woeful blunder from close range, but their statement was already well made.

According to Foxsports

Chile held off an Australia fightback to open their World Cup campaign with a 3-1 win over the battling Socceroos in Cuiaba.

The South Americans had threatened a rout after goals from Alexis Sanchez and Jorge Valdivia in a whirlwind opening 15 minutes at the Arena Pantanal.

But Australia, the Group B outsiders, showed fighting spirit to reply through inspirational veteran Tim Cahill and they went close to equalising before Jean Beausejour secured the points in stoppage time.

Spain’s surprise hammering earlier in the day potentially opened up a route through the group for the highly rated Chileans, and they began as if it was all too easy.

Australia, by contrast, were ragged and cut open with regularity in the early stages. Their goal was breached for the first time in the 12th minute.

Challenges were few and far between as Sanchez found Charles Aranguiz and he was allowed to cross for Eduardo Vargas.

Vargas failed to make clean contact with his header but Australia failed to clear and Sanchez calmly picked his spot and lashed home from six yards.

Chile doubled their lead less than two minutes later as they powerfully swept forward once again.

Sanchez brilliantly turned Mile Jedinak and raced into space as Vargas drew the defence with a well-timed run.

He picked out Valdivia on the edge of the box and the finish, into the roof of the net, was clinical.

The game seemed beyond Australia at that early stage and Chile looked likely to increase their lead as they maintained their tempo for much of the opening half-hour.

But Australia gradually began to settle and Cahill dragged them back into the game with a trademark header.

Chile captain and goalkeeper Claudio Bravo invited pressure with a poor clearance. His defence did appear to repel any threat but Ivan Franjic won the ball back for Australia, exchanged passes with Mathew Leckie and whipped in a dangerous cross into the area.

Former Everton star Cahill timed his leap perfectly to plant a firm header past Bravo.

The game then opened up considerably.

Mauricio Isla was released by a fine pass from Vidal but was denied by a superb challenge from Jason Davidson.

Early in the second half Cahill headed past Bravo once again, from a Leckie, cross only to be frustrated by an offside flag.

Bravo produced a brilliant save to keep out a powerful first-time shot from Mark Bresciano from a Davidson cross.

Play switched quickly to the other end where Alex Wilkinson cleared off the line after Vargas dinked the ball over Maty Ryan from another defence-splitting Sanchez pass.

Bresciano continued to get forward from midfield in search of an equaliser and fired wide. Cahill’s presence in advanced positions also gave Chile continuing problems.

Cahill appealed for a penalty after going down in a challenge from Gonzalo Jara with two minutes remaining but nothing was given.

The task proved beyond the Socceroos and substitute Beausejour, of Wigan, wrapped up the scoring after Ryan saved from Mauricio Pinilla.

According to Foxsports

Oribe Peralta struck in the second half as Mexico got their World Cup campaign under way with a 1-0 victory over lacklustre Cameroon in rain-lashed Natal.

It was no more than the Mexicans deserved after playing the more enterprising football and having two Giovani dos Santos goals controversially disallowed for offside in the first half.

Cameroon almost snatched a last-gasp equaliser but Guillermo Ochoa saved well from a firm Benjamin Moukandjo header.

With Brazil and Croatia their other opponents in Group A, Mexico will be relieved to have claimed the three-points from a full-blooded encounter played in heavy rain at the Arena das Dunas.

A number of hefty challenges went unpunished throughout the game by Colombian referee Wilmar Roldan but Mexico always looked the stronger side.

Peralta netted after 61 minutes and with Dos Santos also shining, the strike pair justified their selection ahead of Manchester United’s Javier Hernandez.

Both sides had entered the competition with question marks over their readiness.

Mexico – having had four coaches in the past year and only qualifying via a play-off against New Zealand – boasted little form having lost recent friendlies to Bosnia-Herzegovina and Portugal.

Cameroon’s preparations had been chaotic with the squad arriving in Brazil a day later than planned after a row over bonuses with their national federation.

The African players had also been under fire from their fans and media after failing to accept a symbolic flag from their prime minister.

Those issues seemed to be hampering Cameroon as they started poorly and rarely threatened to improve upon a record that has seen them win just once at a World Cup finals since 1990.

Mexico quickly made an impression with Miguel Layun firing over and Hector Herrera shooting at former Liverpool goalkeeper Charles Itandje from distance.

The first moment of controversy came when Dos Santos brilliantly turned in a cross from Herrera on the volley only to see a flag raised. Replays suggested the striker had been unlucky, although it was a marginal call.

Eric Choupo-Moting put the ball in the net as Cameroon finally started to show some life, but there was little doubt about the offside decision that denied him.

In a good spell for Cameroon, Tottenham’s Benoit Assou-Ekotto charged down the left to tee up Samuel Eto’o but the former Chelsea forward’s shot grazed the post.

Choupo-Moting was unlucky again when he headed straight at Ochoa and Mexico eventually scrambled clear.

Cameroon’s purple patch proved brief and Mexico were denied by a flag again when Dos Santos stooped to head in from a Layun corner.

Dos Santos was in an offside position as the ball was swung in but the ball was diverted into his path by Choupo-Moting and not flicked on by a Mexico team-mate.

The first half ended with Stephane Mbia escaping a booking for connecting with a forearm to the head of Alex Song. It was one of a number of robust challenges which Roldan dealt with leniently.

Mexico maintained their tempo after the break and Peralta was denied by a good Itanjde block.

Cameroon’s next chance came from a set-piece as Assou-Ekotto had a free-kick deflected narrowly wide.

Mexico deservedly made their breakthrough just after the hour.

Dos Santos raced through but was denied again, this time by Itanjde, but Peralta seized on the rebound to stroke the ball home.

Peralta made way for Hernandez soon after as Mexico looked to his fresh legs to make the win secure.

Cameroon also made a forward change as they searched for an equaliser, sending on striker Pierre Webo for former Arsenal midfielder Song.

Rafael Marquez blocked a shot from Choupo-Moting and Francisco Rodriquez needed to stretch to intercept as Eto’o threatened.

Ochoa then did well to keep out Moukandjo’s header but Hernandez should have made it 2-0 when he missed the target in injury time.

According to Foxsports