IRENE, South Africa — Relax, U.S. fans. Tim Howard should be in goal Friday against Slovenia.
Howard is expected to play after U.S. team medical staff examined him Monday and decided no further tests were needed on his bruised ribs. Howard is making “substantial improvement” after a collision with Emile Heskey in Saturday night’s 1-1 draw against England, U.S. Soccer said in a statement.
It seemed unlikely Howard would miss the key game against Group C leader Slovenia, considering he earned man of the match honors Saturday after Heskey slammed into him feet-first at full speed in the 29th minute. But there was some concern Sunday that Howard’s ribs might be broken, not just bruised, and U.S. coach Bob Bradley said he would re-evaluate his goalkeeper’s status.
Drogba questionable
PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa — Didier Drogba is training with his teammates ahead of Ivory Coast’s World Cup opener against Portugal and a decision will be made on whether the striker can play two hours before today’s match. Drogba broke his right arm in a June 4 warm-up match but has now trained with his teammates two days straight.
Ivory Coast coach Sven- Goran Eriksson said he hopes FIFA will approve the protective cast Drogba would wear but that “we don’t know the outcome” of the decision.
Corner kicks.
Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon left Italy’s 1-1 draw with Paraguay because of a back injury, but said he will be ready for the Azzurri’s match Sunday against New Zealand.
• Police took over responsibility for security at World Cup stadiums in Cape Town and Durban after a wage dispute escalated between stewards and a security contractor.
