Sport
Soccer star Didier Drogba dropped by Ivory Coast
Lamouchi did tell reporters that Drogba needs “to work hard to get back to his best.”
Even with Ivory Coast heavy favorite to beat Gambia on Saturday and to eventually reach the World Cup, it’s unlikely that Drogba will ever win a major international trophy with his national team. He will be nearly 37 the next time the African Cup comes around.
A joyful state governor awarded US$150,000 to the victorious Nigerian players and coaching staff this week. They each also got a plot of land in the southern city of Calabar, where the Nigerian Super Eagles play Kenya on Saturday. Nigeria rode a wave of joy to the port city after beating Burkina Faso in the African Cup final last month.
“Keshi and his crew must stand to be counted among all-time greats of our nation,” local governor Liyel Imoke said.
Nigeria is expected to top Group F ahead of Namibia, Malawi and the Kenyans.
Egypt didn’t make the 2012 and 2013 African Cups after spiralling political violence spilled onto the field when more than 70 people were killed at a league game in the Mediterranean city of Port Said a year ago — a tragedy that still haunts Egyptian soccer.
Authorities are expected to allow 30,000 fans to watch the game against Zimbabwe in Alexandria despite the Zimbabweans’ initial protest that the qualifier should be moved out of the country because of safety concerns.
