Spain have narrowly beaten their fellow World Cup qualifiers Ivory Coast 3-2 in a warm-up friendly, with Spain boss Luis Aragones reckoning that the Ivory Coast could be a surprise package in this summer's World Cup finals in Germany.

Real Betis defender Juanito scored an 85th-minute goal to beat the Elephants of the Ivory Coast 3-2 in a friendly in the Nuevo Jose Zorilla Stadium in Valladolid on Wednesday.

The Ivory Coast had taken the lead on two occasions earlier in the match through strikes by Abdulkader Keita and Bonaventure Kalou, but David Villa and Arsenal’s Jose Antonio Reyes goals had pegged them back on each occasion, before Juanito netted the winner for la Furia Roja.

Aragones rates the Ivorians highly and would not be surprised to see the African Nations Cup runners-up being dark horses in this summer's showpiece.

“The Ivory Coast are a very strong team that are going to give teams a lot of trouble in the World Cup,” Aragones told Spanish daily, AS.

“They are a strong and physically powerful side and we had to play well to beat them.”

Spain have been drawn in Group H in the World Cup Finals, and face Tunisia, Ukraine and Saudi Arabia.

Ivory Coast have been drawn in Group C with Argentina, Serbia and Montenegro and the Netherlands.

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