RUSTENBURG, South Africa (Reuters) – Ivory Coast dropped Didier Drogba for the first time in his stellar international career, leaving him out of the starting line-up for Saturday’s African Nations Cup tie with Tunisia in Rustenburg.

Kolo Toure, who had a bad game in defence on Tuesday when the much-fancied Ivorians opened their bid to win the continental championship with a narrow 2-1 win over Togo in Group D, has also been benched.

Drogba last week told reporters he was at only 50-60 percent of his fitness after finishing the season with Shanghai Shenhua in China at the start of November and not playing for two months before reporting for Nations Cup preparations.

Drogba has been a talismanic presence for the Ivorians over the years, with 56 goals in 91 appearances, but contributed little on Tuesday and was replaced with some 20 minutes left.

Former Chelsea team mate Salomon Kalou takes his place up front for the Ivorians’ second match of the tournament.

(Reporting by Mark Gleeson; Editing by Clare Fallon)

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