Yaya Toure has been passed fit to face Japan in Ivory Coast's World Cup Group C opener in Recife this morning.

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The Manchester City ace, who scored 20 Premier League goals last season, has been struggling with a hamstring injury in recent weeks but has shrugged off the complaint to start against the Blue Samurai.

Didier Drogba, 36, will start the clash on the bench, while Swansea City's Wilfried Bony spearheads the attack with former Premier League men Salomon Kalou and Gervinho on either side of him.

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Meanwhile, Shinji Kagawa and Keisuke Honda are among the notable names on Japan's team-sheet.

Ivory Coast: Barry; Boka, Aurier, Serey, Bamba; Zokora, Tiote, Yaya Toure; Gervinho, Kalou, Bony

Japan: Kawashima; Uchida, Yoshida, Morishige, Nagatomo; Hasebe, Yamaguchi; Okazaki, Honda, Kagawa; Osako

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Written by
Shane Callaghan