Guinea Bissau settle on final squad for qualifiers

New Guinea Bissau coach Emiliano Te has cut down a preliminary selection of 40 to a final squad of 26 to take on Sierra Leone and Djibouti in World Cup qualifiers next month.

It includes three newcomers in Marculino Ninte from Portuguese club Mafra and Adramane Cassamá, who is based in Finland, plus goalkeeper Ricardinho Costa Te of Benfica Bissau, who is a late addition to the squad.

He is also the only locally-based player in the selection.

Portugal-born Ninte is 28-years-old and previous played in Switzerland while Cassamá, 21, was formerly on the junior books of FC Porto.

Guinea Bissau host Sierra Leone in Bissau on Thursday, September 4 and then Djibouti on Monday, September 8 in their two Group A matches, sitting 10 points behind leaders Egypt with only four games left.

Te has taken over from Luis Boa Morte as coach after the former Portugal striker was sacked following a run of eight successive losses, including defeats in friendlies in Morocco in June at the hands of Burundi and Gabon.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Manuel Balde (Penafiel, Portugal), Ricardinho Costa Te (Benfica Bissau), Fernando Embadje (Lugo, Spain)

Defenders: Gilberto Batista (Moreirense, Portugal), Aramane Cassama (AC Oulu, Finland), Fali Cande (Sassuolo, Italy), Jeferson Encada (Estrela Amadora, Portugal), Iano Imbeni (Penafiel, Portugal), Mario Junior (Oliveirense, Portugal), Manconi Mane (Torpedo Kutaisi, Georgia), Opa Sangate (Dunkerque, France)

Midfielders: Bura (Costa do Sol, Mozambique), Mamadi Camara (Reading, England), Panutche Camara (Dundee United, Scotland), Fernando de Lacerda (Pacos Ferreira, Portugal), Eucídioalcio Gomes (Apoel Nicosia, Cyprus), Carlos Mane (Kayserispor, Turkey), Renato Nhaga (Casa Pia, Portugal), Edson Silva (Enosis Neon Paralimni, Cyprus)

Forwards: Mama Balde (Stade Brest, France), Beto (Everton, England), Franculino (FC Midtjylland, Denmark), Tamble Folgado (Portimonense, Portugal), Marculino Ninte (Mafra, Portugal), Mauro Teixeira (Yverdon, Switzerland), Marciano Tchami (Almería, Spain).