Holland’s Oranje have taken a 2-1 lead into half-time against Ivory Coast’s Elephants in Stuttgart on Friday, with goals from Arsenal's van Persie and Man Utd's van Nistelrooy for Holland before Bakary Kone drew one back for the hardworking Elephants in an enthralling encounter.

Both teams started at a very fast pace, with attacking intent on both sides and half-chances that caused no problems for either Edwin van der Sar, or his Ivorian counterpart Jean-Jacques Tizie.

A free-kick for Holland in the 22nd minute, just outside of the penalty area, saw Arsenal’s Robin van Persie scoring the opening goal, with a lovely strike that curled round the wall and past the leaping keeper Tizie.

Ivory Coast then had a couple of minor attacks before Didier Zakora was booked in the 24th minute, for a challenge on van Bommel.

Holland started to get control of the match, with Chelsea’s Arjen Robben making some decent runs into the Ivorian half.

Holland doubled their lead in the 26th minute with a strike by Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Holland broke from their own half after an Ivorian attack, and van Bommel played a lovely through ball for the Manchester United striker to latch onto, and he hit his shot past Tizie from 5 yards to make it 2-0.

The Ivorian’s weren’t holding their heads down after having conceded two goals, and came very close to pulling a goal back when Didier Zokora rattled the crossbar from a 25-yard strike, which gave the African’s a measure of confidence.

Robben had a dive in the penalty area waved away by the referee in the 34th minute, when he only received the slightest of touches from Arouna Kone, but the Ivorians were pushing the Oranje defence.

A free-kick from Romaric in the 36th minute was headed high by Drogba, before just two minutes later Bakary Kone broke through the Oranje defence and scored with a stunning long-range shot that gave Edwin van der Sar no chance.

The Ivorian Elephants were now definitely on the charge, and an attack from Didier Drogba almost got through, but he was defended well.

Both sides continued to press, but the scores went into half-time 2-1 to Marco van Baten's Oranje, but with the Ivorian's really on the ascendancy.

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