Ivory Coast beats Japan 2-0 in World Cup warmup after losing Didier Drogba to injury

Ivory Coast beats Japan 2-0; Drogba hurt

SION, Switzerland — Ivory Coast lost captain Didier Drogba to injury during its 2-0 win over Japan in a warmup for the World Cup on Friday.

Drogba limped off with pain in his groin and right hip after a high 15th-minute challenge by Japan defender Marcus Tulio Tanaka.

Two minutes earlier, Ivory Coast scored when Drogba’s 24-yard free kick was deflected by Tulio into his own net.

Drogba’s shot took two deflections, the second off Tulio, to deceive Japanese goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima and bounce slowly into the bottom right-hand corner.

Two minutes later, Drogba and Tulio clashed feet high in the air as the Ivorian captain flicked the ball over the defender’s head. Drogba refused a stretcher and limped off to be replaced by Seydou Doumbia.

Defender Kolo Toure scored from close range in the 81st minute, meeting a free kick with a crisp shot. A long free kick from the right side was met on the half-volley by Toure with Kawashima stuck on his goal line.

Japan’s fourth straight defeat included more own-goal trouble. It conceded two in a 2-1 loss to England last Sunday.

Ivory Coast plays in Group G with Brazil, Portugal and North Korea.

Japan’s Group E has the Netherlands, Cameroon and Denmark.