English Premier League stars had mixed luck with Ivory Coast Friday as Salmon Kalou and Didier Drogba scored in a 2-0 Africa Cup of Nations warm-up win over Tunisia and Cheik Tiote was sent off.
Chelsea strikers Kalou and Drogba struck just before and after half-time in Abu Dhabi as the African Cup co-favourites dominated until Newcastle midfielder Tiote was sent off on 73 minutes for striking a rival.
Kalou burst on to an angled through ball and curled a side-foot shot past Aymen Mathlouthi and captain Drogba sent the goalkeeper the wrong way after Tunisia skipper Karim Haggui used an arm to block a cross.
Tunisia improved when they had a numerical advantage, testing goalkeeper Boubacar Barry several times, before substitute Seydou Doumbia was foiled by a superb tackle when poised to added a third Ivorian goal.
Ivory Coast will share Group B at the January 21-February 12 African tournament with Angola, Burkina Faso and Sudan and many pundits believe they will contest the final against Ghana.
Tunisia are in Group C with co-hosts Gabon, Morocco and Niger and have completed their warm-ups after a win and draw against Spanish regional sides and a 3-0 victory over Sudan in the United Arab Emirates last Monday.
Ivory Coast return to the Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi Monday for a warm-up with fellow qualifiers Libya before heading to Equatorial Guinea capital Malabo.
Source: AFP
