Kolo Toure is refusing to put the Ivory Coast's early World Cup exit down to bad luck.

For the second game in succession, the Elephants suffered a single-goal defeat to one of the games traditional heavyweights.

This time, it proved fatal to their hopes of staying in the competition as Holland confirmed their passage into the knockout phase along with Argentina.

Against both sides, the Ivory Coast did more than enough to justify their tag as the best African team to play in the tournament and on the evidence of the past week would have qualified themselves had they been drawn in any other section.

However, Toure does not believe ill-fortune is the sole reason for his side's failure to pick up a point, more a lack of experience which their presence in Germany should help to resolve.

"We can't blame bad luck," said the 25-year-old Arsenal star.

"You have to meet whoever you get drawn against and try to beat them, something we have not managed to do.

"It is not possible to say whether we would have got out of another group. The fact is, we were drawn in this one and we have lost both games so far.

"We are all disappointed because this is not what we wanted. But this is our first time in the competition. We have a lot of young players and we can only gain from the experience."

Defeat had cruel twist for Toure given he conceded the free-kick from which Arsenal team-mate Robin van Persie rasped Holland in front.

Although the defender queried the decision, once it had been given, he had a clear sense of foreboding given the number of times he has seen Van Persie belt similar opportunities into the net at the Gunners' London Colney training ground.

"As soon as the referee blew his whistle, I knew what Robin was going to do," he said.

"I didn't think it was a free-kick because he actually stood on me but you have to admire the way he put it in.

"We didn't say too much to each other afterwards but we did exchange shirts and I will see him again at Arsenal in pre-season."

The defeat contributed to a dismal series of performances from African sides in the World Cup.

Two draws and five defeats from seven games played is a slightly worrying return for a continent who will host the tournament for the first time in 2010 when football's glitterati descend on South Africa.

But Toure does not believe there is too much cause for concern, certainly as far as his own country is concerned.

"The results have not been great for African sides in this competition so far but I don't think you can read too much into it," he said.

"We have played against two really big teams. It is not easy to play Argentina and Holland at the World Cup and unfortunately, we have not been able to get any points.

"But we have done well in both games at times and we can take some satisfaction from that."

After guiding the Ivory Coast to Germany and into the final of this year's African Nations Cup, coach Henri Michel has yet to decide whether to remain in his job after Wednesday's final game against a shellshocked Serbia and Montenegro.

Michel will definitely have to make changes, as skipper Didier Drogba is suspended after picking up his second booking, for a late challenge on Edwin van der Sar.