Didier Drogba Still Major Doubt For Opening Game

Ivory Coast captain Didier Drogba remains a major doubt for the team's opening World Cup match against Portugal because of his broken arm.

Coach Sven-Goran Eriksson said that Drogba will work on his ball skills at practice, but that physical contact with other players was not a risk worth taking at the moment.

"We can't risk any contact at this point," Eriksson said.

Drogba was injured in a friendly against Japan last Friday and had surgery a day later.

Eriksson conceded that Drogba's absence in Tuesday's opening Group G encounter in Port Elizabeth would be a big loss to the team but that he was working on "a B plan and a plan C as well."

"He's going to practice today but of course we have to be prepared for the worst," Eriksson said.

Ivory Coast are widely considered to be Africa's best hope of lifting the World Cup and blessed with a wide array of talent, including Drogba's Chelsea team-mate, Salomon Kalou, and Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure.

However, they have been drawn in an extremely tough group for the second successive tournament. After getting their campaign under way against 2006 semifinalist Portugal, Ivory Coast then face five-time winners Brazil before meeting North Korea in their final match.

Ivory Coast's preparations for the World Cup were complicated by the dismissal of coach Vahid Halilhodzic in February after a quarter-final loss to Algeria at the African Cup of Nations, his first defeat in 24 games. Eriksson was appointed about a month later.