ABIDJAN -- Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure were picked for Ivory Coasts provisional World Cup squad of 28 players on Tuesday. Drogba and Toure are expected to form the spine for Africas top-ranked team when it plays Japan, Colombia and Greece in Group C in Brazil. Toures brother Kolo, a Liverpool defender, was also on the preliminary list released by coach Sabri Lamouchi, along with strikers Wilfried Bony of Swansea and Gervinho of Roma. Emmanuel Eboue, the former Arsenal and now Galatasaray right back, was not picked and looks set to miss the World Cup. Drogba, one of Africas best-ever strikers, is 36 and almost certainly heading to his last World Cup. Ivory Coast has its best chance of going far at the World Cup in Brazil after being drawn in a relatively manageable group. "I never said it was an easy group ... but we have our chances," Lamouchi said. Lamouchi expressed fears Tuesday at his squad announcement over the fitness of midfielders Souleman Bamba and Mathis Bolly, and Everton striker Lacina Traore, but he picked all three in his preliminary squad. The group will be cut to 23 for the World Cup. The coach also said Drogbas recent lack of game time because of a knee problem was an issue. "Not seeing Drogba on the field is also worrying." Lamouchi said. Yet the Ivorians still have a talented squad drawn mainly from the Turkish, French, German and English leagues and are expected to perform better than 2010, when they exited in the group stage after being drawn to face with Brazil and Portugal. The squad will travel to the United States on May 24 for a training camp in Dallas ahead of World Cup warm-up games against Bosnia on May 30 and El Salvador on June 4. Ivory Coast opens its World Cup campaign against Japan in Recife on June 14. ------ Squad: Goalkeepers: Boubacar Barry (Lokeren), Sylvain Gbohouo (Sewe San Pedro), Sayouba Mande (Stabaek), Badra Ali Sangare (ASEC Mimosas) Defenders: Serge Aurier (Toulouse), Benjamin Angoua (Valenciennes), Brice Dja Djedje (Marseille), Jean-Daniel Akpa-Akpro (Toulouse), Didier Zokora (Trabzonspor), Kolo Toure (Liverpool), Souleman Bamba (Trabzonspor), Arthur Boka (Stuttgart), Constant Djakpa (Eintracht Frankfurt), Ousmane Viera (Rizespor) Midfielders: Cheik Tiote (Newcastle), Serey Die (FC Basel), Ismael Diomande (Saint-Etienne), Didier Ya Konan (Hannover), Yaya Toure (Manchester City), Max Gradel (Saint-Etienne), Mathis Bolly (Fortuna Dusseldorf) Forwards: Didier Drogba (Galatasaray), Wilfried Bony (Swansea), Gervinho (Roma), Salomon Kalou (Lille), Lacina Traore (Everton), Giovanni Sio (FC Basel), Seydou Doumbia (CSKA Moscow) . This week they discuss Russias mens hockey team, the ineptitude of the IOC handling the Nicklas Backstrom situation, John Tortorellas many apologies, and Canadas strong showing in curling. . -- The court fight over NFL concussions should heat up soon as a judge in Philadelphia weighs the fairness of the proposed $765 million settlement.
https://www.cheappelicans.com/. -- Even as Chris Paul remained evasive about his future, he did what team leaders are expected to do. . The Raptors had an early deadline Sunday, a dreaded afternoon game, and they left the bulk of their work until the last minute, as theyve done so many times before. . "There are a lot of things that are going very well in this organization. Im not coming in here to rip things apart," Nicholson told reporters Friday. "I know what Hockey Canada was when I started, and I know where this (Oilers) organization is today.MILAN - Juventus eased to a 3-1 win at relegation-threatened Cagliari on Thursday to ensure it ended the year at the top of the Serie A standings.Early goals from Carlos Tevez and Arturo Vidal gave Juventus a comfortable lead in the opening 15 minutes, and Fernando Llorente sealed the match shortly after halftime.Luca Rossettini bagged a consolation goal for Cagliari.Juventus moved provisionally four points ahead of Roma, which hosts AC Milan on Saturday.Cagliari, which is the only Serie A side without a home win this season, remained in the bottom three.The match, which was part of the final round of fixtures before the winter break, was brought forward because Juventus plays Napoli in the rearranged Italian Supercup on Monday.Napoli beat bottom side Parma 2-0 and moved provisionally third, in a tight battle for the final Champions League qualifying spot.After seeing its advantage cut to one point last weekend with its second successive draw, Juventus determination to end the year on a high received the perfect start when Cagliari goalkeeper Alessio Cragno coould only parry Giorgio Chiellinis effort and Tevez was on hand to tap the ball in, less than four minutes in.ddddddddddddMore poor defending saw Juventus double its advantage as Cagliari failed to deal with a cross and the ball came out to Vidal, who curled a magnificent strike into the far corner from just outside the box.Llorente extended Juves lead six minutes after the break when he gathered Andrea Pirlos lofted pass with his back to goal, swiveled, and fired under Cragnos body.Cagliari hadnt scored for three matches but managed in the 65th, as Rossettini headed home Andrea Cossus free kick.In Naples, Duvan Zapata fired the home side in front in the 19th minute, after using his strength to hold off defenders as he turned in the box.Not long after, Napoli doubled its lead from the penalty spot after Massimo Gobbi brought down Jose Callejon. Parma goalkeeper Antonio Mirante couldnt get enough of his hand to Dries Mertens spot kick.It was a 13th defeat in 16 matches for Parma, which also had a point docked because of financial irregularities. ' ' '
