World Cup dream ends for duo

L-R: Didier Drogba and Rio Ferdinand

Drogba breaks elbow

Agencies, Sion
The Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba is set to miss the World Cup with a suspected fractured elbow after he was forced off in a friendly against Japan today. Drogba had put his country 1-0 ahead with a free-kick in the 15th minute against Japan before going down following a challenge from the Japan defender Tulio off whom Drogba's goal had deflected in and he left the pitch in visible distress.
Drogba was immediately taken to hospital in Sion, Switzerland, where the Ivorians have been undergoing altitude training. "Of course I am worried, he's our captain and one of the best players in the world," said the Ivory Coast manager, Sven-Goran Eriksson, who attached no blame to Tulio. "It was unlucky, he didn't want to hurt anyone. Football is a game of contact."
The injury is a devastating blow to the player, who was hoping to crown what he termed the finest season of his career by leading his country to glory at the first World Cup to be staged in Africa. The loss of a player who has scored 44 goals in 69 appearances for his country and hit 37 in all competitions for Chelsea this season severely damages the Elephants' chances of making an impact in South Africa. Ivory Coast are in perhaps the toughest of all groups, with Brazil and Portugal representing formidable obstacles between them and the next round.
In addition to his contributions on the pitch, Drogba carries enormous influence within the dressing room. Indeed, he has sometimes been accused of trying to exert too much control over team selection and strategy, though that complaint has not surfaced since the appointment of Eriksson as manager, and there is certainly no doubt that he would have been the Ivorians' most potent weapon. At the age of 32, he is unlikely to have another opportunity to play at the World Cup.

Ferdinand's knee fails him

Agencies
Rio Ferdi-nand has been ruled out of the World Cup after injuring his left knee in training.
The England captain broke down after a tackle in the final few minutes of his team's first training session since landing in South Africa, and was taken to hospital for a scan.
The results of the scan are believed to indicate knee ligament damage and the 31-year-old will take no further part in the World Cup.
Michael Dawson, who was part of Fabio Capello's initial 30-man squad, is the likely replacement, while Steven Gerrard will be promoted to the captaincy.
Capello said earlier: "In the last moment of the training, Rio suffered a problem with the knee.
"He has gone to hospital for a scan. We hope it will not be so bad an injury but we have Michael Dawson on call.
"It came from a minor tackle during the training. It happened in a normal tackle.”
Ferdinand had an injury-hit season at Manchester United, being laid low for considerable periods with back and groin problems.
But he was happy with his fitness at the end of the season and during England's two-week training camp in Austria before coming through the friendly internationals with Mexico and Japan unscathed.
Capello's alternatives in the current squad are West Ham's Matthew Upson and Tottenham's Ledley King.
Upson has started nine of the last 17 internationals while King has forced his way into Capello's thinking despite his long-term knee setback.