Drogba available for Orlando visit despite turf concerns

After sitting out four of the Montreal Impact's five opening league matches for fear of injuring his wonky knee on turf, Didier Drogba has been made available for Sunday's match at Orlando City SC.

Sitting fifth in the Eastern Conference on 41 points, just five points ahead of the New England Revolution and missing the playoffs for the third time in five tries, Drogba is putting the postseason ahead of his own personal concerns.

"Well we know obviously turf field has been a question in the past," Impact boss Mauro Biello said Friday after training. "But these are important games and Didier is available for selection and we'll see which way we'll take in the next couple of days."

Sunday's tilt at the Camping World Stadium will be Montreal's third in eight days, and while Drogba only played 20 minutes in a victory over San Jose, the former Chelsea star did play the full 90 days earlier in a 1-0 defeat at Red Bulls.

Matteo Mancosu started in Drogba's stead at New York, and Biello admits that he'll wait to choose between the Italian on loan from Bologna and the decorated Ivorian.

"I'll wait until (Saturday) to make my final decisions but we saw some good things in that game and certain elements will remain the same and I'll make my decision about the others."

Leading the team with 12 goals, Drogba's influence on Biello's lot extends beyond his on-pitch exploits, underlying the importance of his presence for Sunday's battle between two sides desperate for a playoff spot.

Impact shot-stopper Evan Bush thinks as much, saying, "Didier's got such a presence that it's not so much our team that looks different, it's how other people look at our team."

"We've had success with both of those guys at different moments this year and last year so whoever plays, whether it's Didier or Matteo, whatever Mauro decides, we're ready to roll with either of them."