Drogba set to return

JOHANNESBURG – Didier Drogba could return to action for Ivory Coast today when they face Israel in one of nine friendlies involving African national teams.

The injury-plagued Chelsea striker is among a 21-man squad for the Tel Aviv fixture as the top African nations start preparing for the final qualifying phase en route to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
His last appearance for the 2006 World Cup qualifiers was in the African Nations Cup third-place loss to hosts Ghana after a six-goal thriller in Kumasi nine months ago.
Drogba will welcome a change of scenery after admitting Monday a Football Association charge of violent conduct for flinging a coin back into the crowd during an English League Cup tie last week.
Police probed the incident which occurred after the Ivorian had opened the scoring against Burnley, a second-tier club who shocked Chelsea by winning the fourth-round clash on penalties.
The Ivorian ‘Elephants’ travel to the Middle East desperate to impress Bosnia-born coach Vahid Halihodzic after he labelled the star-studded squad ‘average’ during an Abidjan news conference.
Among the teams Halihodzic could have been referring to are Egypt, Nations Cup winners a record six times who overcame Ivory Coast in the last two editions en route to glory.
The ‘Pharaohs’ host Benin in Cairo and five of Al-Ahly team that won the African Champions League a record sixth time last Sunday have been chosen, including veteran midfielder Ahmed Hassan.
South Africa assistant coach Pitso Mosimane is relishing the prospect of confronting Barcelona striker and three-time African Footballer of the Year Samuel Eto’o when they tackle Cameroon in the north-west town of Rustenburg.
Bafana Bafana (The Boys), seeking a record-equalling fourth consecutive win, will be boosted by the presence of leading scorer Benni McCarthy, who opted to play despite the death of his father in Cape Town last week.
Injuries to key players rob Ghana of defender John Mensah and midfielders Sulley Muntari and Laryea Kingston while Andre ‘Dede’ Ayew – son of legendary Abedi ‘Pele’ Ayew – returns to the squad that tackles Tunisia in Accra.
Tunisia coach Humberto Coelho ignored players from Etoile Sahel and CS Sfaxien, who clash Saturday in the African Confederation Cup final, except for midfielder Mohamed Ali Nafkha, who is suspended from the club fixture.
Nigeria are another country hit by injury with Everton defender Joseph Yobo ruled out and Lokomotiv Moscow midfielder Osaze Odemwingie is unavailable for the long journey to Cali for a fixture against Colombia.
Angola, whose squad includes Al-Ahly midfielder Felisberto ‘Gilberto’ Amaral and striker Flavio Amado, also travel to South America, where they confront Venezuela in Barinas
Fixtures between Tanzania and Mozambique in Dar es Salaam, Togo and Rwanda in Lome and Morocco and Zambia in Rabat complete the nine-match programme in the final outing this year for most African national teams. – Nampa-AFP