Drogba blow for Ivory Coast

Elephants skipper ruled out of World Cup clash

By Chris Burton   Last updated: 29th May 2008

Drogba blow for Ivory Coast

Drogba: Goal threat

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Didier Drogba will miss Ivory Coast's World Cup qualifier with Mozambique on Sunday through injury.

The nature of the problem is not yet known, but the striker will definitely be unavailable for the African zone Group Seven clash in Abidjan.

Coach Vahid Halilhodzic is already set to be without Lens striker Aruna Dindane and Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure for the crucial contest and will be cursing his luck having now been told that he will have to cope without his talismanic skipper.

Dindane has been ruled out for six months after rupturing knee ligaments, while Toure recently underwent back surgery.

The Barca star's brother, Kolo, is included in the squad despite missing two warm-up games in Japan, and Dunfermline defender Souleyman Bamba has been included in the fold for the first time.

The weekend fixture represents Ivory Coast's first on the road to South Africa, and despite missing some of their most influential players they will still be confident of progressing from a group which also includes Botswana and Madagascar.

World Cup 2010 Win Outright: Ivory Coast 40/1