The Ivory Coast are trying to put a brave face on it, although Didier Drogba is highly unlikely to play against Portugal after injuring his arm in a friendly against Japan. The Chelsea forward is hugely important to the team, although he will have to watch the Elephants try and get something from the game in Port Elizabeth.

Portugal are also missing a key player in Nani, although manager Carlos Queiroz would have been a lot more dismayed if Cristiano Ronaldo had sustained a collarbone injury. The Real Madrid forward is one of the few players in the world that can singlehandedly win matches on his own and he will be keen to demonstrate his ability at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

The Portuguese have looked strong in the warm-up matches and Pepe is set to give the team a boost by returning in defence alongside Ricardo Carvalho. While they seem a bit short of numbers in attack, the movement of Raul Meireles and Deco could cause problems for the Ivorians, especially as Sven-Goran Eriksson has spent so little time in charge.

PREDICTION: PORTUGAL TO WIN @ 2.15 with Expekt