Toure header sees off new-look AZZURRI
Toure header sees off new-look AZZURRIIvory Coast's post-Sven Goran Eriksson era got off to a winning start as Kolo Toure's header saw an experimental Italy side beaten 1-0 in a friendly international at Upton Park yesterday.
While there was nothing at stake on a sodden night in east London, the Ivory Coast players will have had in the back of their minds the upcoming 2012 African Nations Cup qualifiers.
And interim Ivory Coast coach Francois Zahoui, assuming he is still in charge for the first qualifier against Rwanda in early September, will have been pleased by the showing of his side against an Italy team keen to start afresh following a poor World Cup campaign.
Zahoui continued where his predecessor Eriksson left off, with every member of his starting line-up having travelled to South Africa.
Four members of the team who started the Elephants' last game, a 3-0 victory over North Korea in Durban, were included in the first XI at the home ground of Premier League side West Ham.
As well as Gervinho and Didier Zokora, Kolo Toure and his brother Yaya were involved from the off, with the latter playing his second game in England following his transfer from Barcelona to Manchester City.
Ivory Coast dominated most of the early exchanges but just as Italy seemed to be gaining the upper hand, Kolo Toure was the man to break the deadlock ten minutes into the second half.
Guy Demel floated a cross from the left for the Manchester City defender to nod past Sirigu and spark celebrations from the Ivory Coast-supporters among the 11,176-strong crowd.
Prandelli rang the changes but although two of his substitutes, Marco Borriello and Mattia Cassani, went close, Italy were unable to equalise.
