Senegal draft in uncapped duo for Brazil, Kenya friendlies
Senegal have drafted in two promising prospects to their squad as they fine tune their selection ahead of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations finals with friendlies against Brazil and Kenya.
Coach Pape Thiaw has called up for the first time the 20-year-old central defender Mamadou Sarr, who is on loan from Chelsea at Racing Strasbourg in France’s Ligue 1, and the 17-year-old winger Ibrahim Mbaye, who is at European champions Paris St Germain and made his Ligue 1 debut last season aged only 16.
Sarr is the son of former international Pape Sarr, while Mbaye has decided to play for Senegal ahead of Morocco and France, for who he also qualifies.
The squad also sees midfielder Rassoul Ndiaye return after an 18-month absence. The Le Havre player has a single cap for Senegal.
Assane Diao is also back after missing the last month’s callup through injury.
Krepin Diatta is out injured while Mamadou Mbow, Nampalys Mendy and Cheikh Nisse has been left out after featuring in the squad that took on South Sudan and Mauritania in last month’s FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Senegal take on Brazil on November 15 in London at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium and then go onto Antalya in Turkey three days later where they will meet the Harambee Stars.
Senegal compete in Group D at the Cup of Nations finals in December where they face Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Benin.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Mory Diaw (Le Havre, France), Yehvann Diouf (Nice, France), Edouard Mendy (Al Ahli, Saudi Arabia)
Defenders: Ilay Camara (Anderlecht, Belgium), El Hadji Malik Diouf (West Ham United, England), Ismail Jakobs (Galatasaray, Turkey), Kalidou Koulibaly (Al Hilal, Saudi Arabia), Antoine Mendy (Nice, France), Moussa Niakhaté (Olympique Lyonnais, France), Mamadou Sarr (Racing Strasbourg, France), Abdoulaye Seck (Maccabi Haifa, Israel),
Midfielders: Mamadou Lamine Camara (Monaco, France), Pathe Ciss (Rayo Vallecano, Italy), Idrissa Gana Gueye (Everton, England), Pape Gueye (Villarreal, Spain), Rassoul Ndiaye (Le Havre, France), Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham Hotspur, England),
Forwards: Boulaye Dia (Lazio, Italy), Habib Diallo (Metz, France), Assane Diao (Como, Italy), Nicolas Jackson (Bayern Munich, Germany), Sadio Mané (Al Nassr, Saudi Arabia), Ibrahim Mbaye (Paris St Germain, France), Cherif Ndiaye (Samsunspor, Turkey), Iliman Ndiaye (Everton, England), Cheikh Sabaly (Metz, France), Ismaïla Sarr (Crystal Palace, England).