Ivory Coast say Drogba op successful

The Ivory Coast Football Federation on Saturday said that captain Didier Drogba had undergone successful surgery a day after sustaining a fractured forearm which threatens his World Cup dream.

The 32-year-old Chelsea striker was hurt by a robust challenge from defender Marcus Tulio Tanaka during the Ivorians’ 2-0 friendly win over Japan here, in which Drogba scored the opening goal with a deflected free-kick.

Chelsea star Drogba had the operation in Berne, Switzerland and “the surgery was a success,” the Federation said in a statement, adding that the squad’s medical staff “are optimistic the player will make speedy recovery.”

Drogba, 32, hopes to get back to fitness within ten days to enable him to play in Ivory Coast’s Group G opener with Portugal on June 15. Under FIFA rules, a replacement could be drafted until the day before a team’s first game.

Ivory Coast will play in Group G, where they will also face Brazil and North Korea.