On a steamy night at the Arena Pernambuco in Recife all focus switched towards the last match of the day and a crucial first round match-up in Group C between Ivory Coast and Japan.
With Colombia’s destruction of Greece 3-0 earlier in the day, both teams would hope for a winning start to keep pace at the top of the group with the Colombians. A key talking point before kick-off was the absence of Chelsea FC and Elephants legend Didier Drogba from the Ivory Coast starting 11.
Former Chelsea man Salomon Kalou and LOSC Lille top scorer in 2013/2014 (20 goals) would start and feature throughout the entire 90 minutes.
The game started flat with little to talk about in the first 15 minutes until AC Milan man Keisuke Honda latched onto a ball worked in with two passes from a Japanese throw-in and smashed it home with his left foot. In doing so, Honda became the first Japanese player to ever score 3 goals in World Cup finals play.
Japan nearly made it 2-0 6 minutes later when Uchida cut in from the right side but his effort was saved by Boubacar Barry.
The rest of the half would belong to the Elephants as they looked to control the game through physical strength and tempo. Gervinho would win a free kick in the 30th minute, taken by Arthur Boka from about 23 yards out on the right hand side. His effort would skim just inches over the crossbar and out for a goal kick.
A corner won by Gervinho  in the 34th minute would be taken by Kalou and cleared out by the Japanese defense but only as far as Boka who would blast his effort on target forcing a save by Shusaku Nishikawa. Boka’s impact would continue on again in the 44th but it was the worst of his three chances, shooting straight at Nishikawa who easily caught the effort.
The 2nd half began the same as the first had ended with Ivory Coast dominating every aspect of the game except the scoreline. Japan looked to be content to continue playing in the same style that had brought them the goal; but also relentless pressure and changed little on defense.
A headed effort would be missed by Wilfried Bony in the 48th minute. There was a penalty shout in the 57th when Yaya Toure  was taken down in the box but the replay showed the slightest of touches from Maya Yoshida who cleared for Japan.
The weather was strange in Recife for sure. Weather effects that could be likened to a steam bath with periods of rain; stinging heat and relentless humidity. There was an effect of a different kind brewing on the sidelines at the Arena Pernambuco something known simply as the Drogba Effect (drumroll please) as the Hero of Munich, the King of (new) Wembley was about to come on for Serey Die in the 62nd minute.
Didier’s first touch displayed the class that made him famous, with his back to goal his first touch spun him around into open space wide right, he then cut in skinning 2 Japanese defenders before deftly flicking a backheel pass near the endline towards Gervinho. Gervinho opted to pass instead of shoot and it was cleared out by Japan.
The ball would come to Drogba for the 2nd time as he would shield the ball and win a free kick for Ivory Coast. His entrance made a huge impact on his teammates and it would take all of 4 minutes from the time he entered for Ivory Coast to score 2 goals and complete the comeback.
First in the 64th minute Serge Aurier would whip in a near post cross from the right wing, and with Drogba absorbing pressure at the far post, Bony was left to easily head it home with a dipping header to the back post to draw things level.
Then in the 66th a mirror effort as Aurier again would receive the ball on the right wing and whip in a near post cross, but this time it was Gervinho who was there to put it past the keeper with a diving header at the near post.
In the 78th minute Bony would come off for Hannover 96 midfielder Konan Ya, leaving Drogba up top to absorb pressure and kill off the game. In the 80th minute Drogba held up play and won a dangerous free kick from 28 yards out. After a quick chat with Toure, Drogba steps up to take and his dipping and bending shot forces a save from Nishikawa.
Drogba again has an effort in the 85th minute from 16 yards out that is deflected inches wide of the right post.
Japan would win a corner in the 87th but as was the previous 74 minutes it offered little threat. Ivory Coast would win a couple of corners in stoppage time and Drogba would collect short and hold up play and the Elephants would finish the game off and collect the 3 points.
