Drogba, Robben hope to beat injury curse

Didier Drogba and Arjen Robben hope to beat the injury curse haunting superstars ahead of the World Cup that kicks off Friday in South Africa.

Chelsea striker Drogba returned to the Ivory Coast camp in the Swiss Alps Monday after surgery on a forearm broken during a friendly victory over fellow qualifers Japan last weekend.

But while the Ivorian Football Federation said the first results of the operation were “extremely encouraging”, team spokeman Ouattara Hegaud stressed no decision had been taken whether the star would be fit in time.

The opening fixture for the ‘Elephants’ against Portugal on June 15 could determine who accompanies record five-time champions and Group G favourites Brazil into the knockout second phase.

Robben remained in the Netherlands when his team-mates flew to Johannesburg at the weekend as he tries to overcome a thigh muscle tear sustained in a 6-1 drubbing of non-qualifiers Hungary.

“I am doing all I can to be fit again within a week. With conventional treatment, the muscle needs four to six weeks to heal so we have to use other methods,” he told a Dutch TV station.

Portugal welcome back midfielder enforcer Pepe after a six-month absence because of a knee injury for a warm-up against Mozambique in Johannesburg Tuesday.

Coach Carlos Queiroz said the star used as a centreback by Real Madrid would appear in the second half “when the rhythm and intensity of the match have dropped”.

Australia goalkeeper Brad Jones was forced out of the June 11-July 11 tournament after learning that his four-year-old son was reportedly suffering from leukaemia.

“We consider ourselves a family and the news we heard … it was devastating. It hit all the boys for six,” admitted Socceroos skipper and defender Lucas Neill.

Germany became the latest giants to touch down in South Africa for the first World Cup staged on the continent after the first official flight of the national airline in an Airbus A380 jumbo.

“It was a great experience to be on the first A380 flight,” coach Joachim Loew told the media as he and his 23-man squad completed immigration details before heading for a hotel near Pretoria.

Germany finished third behind Italy and France when they acted as hosts four years ago and were runners-up to Brazil in the 2002 finals in South Korea and Japan.

Hopes of Germany going all the way this time suffered a massive blow last month when midfielder and captain Michael Ballack was ruled out after tearing ligaments playing for Chelsea in the English FA Cup final.

The injury followed a heavy tackle from Germany-born Kevin-Prince Boateng, a member of the Ghana squad that also landed in Johannesburg on Monday and will contest Group D with Germany, Australia and Serbia.

Germany had glamorous company on their flight from Frankfurt in the shape of Shakira, the Colombian megastar who will feature in a pre-tournament Soweto concert Thursday.

Other teams with first-class World Cup pedigree who have arrived in South Africa include Argentina, England, Netherlands, France and Brazil, with Italy and European champions Spain due later this week.