ACTUALITE |
02.01.2002
Mali name squad
Following an intensive series of friendly matches, Nations Cup hosts Mali have named the squad that will attempt to win the tournament on home soil.
French coach Henry Kasperczak has named 23 players - one more than he will be permitted to use - to allow for injuries before the squad lists have to be formally submitted.
The squad, which includes 19 European-based professionals, presents few surprises to Malian football fans.
"Our choice was orientated towards the quality of the players and their ability to create," said Kasperczak.
"We have chosen players able to animate the play and who play regularly for big European clubs."
Creative talent
The `animators` Kasperczak is most likely to have been thinking about are German-based team captain Soumaila Coulibaly and Seydou Keita who plays in France.
Both are midfielders blessed with great creative talent. The defence is likely to be based around Coulibaly`s club team-mate at Freiburg, Boubacar Diarra.
Diarra, one of the most promising defenders in Germany, is nicknamed "Becken" because of his similarities to German legend Franz Beckenbauer.
One intriguing selection is that of goalkeeper Karamoko Keita, who plays for Harrow Borough, a semi-professional side in England.
Absentee
Keita was a back-up goalkeeper in the 1994 Nations` Cup finals.
The most notable absentee is experienced defender Ibrahima Thiam.
Thiam plays in France with Istres and declared himself unavailable for selection as his wife is ill.
Kasperczak will hope his squad has everything it takes to do better than Mali`s previous best Nations Cup.
In the 1972 edition, the Eagles lost in the final.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Mahamadou Sidibé (Athinaïkos/ Greece), Karamoko Kéïta (Harrow Borough FC/England), Ablaye Diakité (Djoliba AC);
Defenders: Abdoulaye Camara, Adama Coulibaly (Lens/France), Adama Diakité (Stade Malien), Daouda Diakité (COB), Boucader Diallo (Stade Malien), Boubacar Diarra Freiburg/Germany), Fousseyni Diawara (St Etienne/France), Samba Diawara (Istres/France);
Midfielders: David Coulibaly (Chateauroux/France), Soumaïla Coulibaly (Fribourg/Germany), Mahamadou Diarra ( Vitesse Arnhem/Holland), Vincent Doukantié (Strasbourg/France), Aboubacar Sidiki Haïdara ( Suez Canal /Egypt), Seydou Keïta (Lorient/France), Djibril Sidibé (Monaco/France);
Strikers: Mamadou Bagayoko (Strasbourg/France), Mamahadou Dissa (Niort/France), Dramane Coulibaly (Laval/France), Cheick Oumar Dabo (Gençlerbirligi/Turkey), Bassala Touré (Athinaïkos/Greece).
|
|
Hits: 1 | Source:BBC | |
|
|
|
|
| |