Elephants suffer injury blow ahead of CAR qualifiers

Adama Traore of Ivory Coast challenged by Dieudonne Bezua of DR Congo during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between Ivory Coast and DR Congo at the Oyem Stadium in Gabon on 20 January 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix

by Bertin Basson

Monday Oct 08, 2018. 18:00

Ivory Coast international Adama Traoré has been ruled out for the rest of the season after damaging his knee ligaments.

The Göztepe left-back had to be substituted in the 17th minute of the club's 3-1 Turkish Super Lig defeat away to Kasimpasa on Friday, and it has since been announced that he has suffered a serious long-term injury.

Traoré had played every minute of every game for Göztepe in the league this season, before leaving the field on a stretcher this past weekend.

Elephants head coach Ibrahim Kamara has since called up Abdoulaye Bamba of Angers' in place of Traoré, for the country's home and away 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against the Central African Republic this month.

"Adama Traore suffered an anterior cruciate ligament rupture and faces a six months rehabilitation process," Goztepe announced on their official website.

Ivory Coast are at home to CAR in Bouaké on Friday before taking on the same opponents in Bangui four days later.