24 players in Guinea Bissau TotalEnergies AFCON squad
Guinea Bissau coach Baciro Candé unveiled on Thursday (30 December 2021) a 24-man squad list to participate in the upcoming TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations, Cameroon 2021.
Candé declared his side’s objective is to qualify for the first time to the second round, after Guinea Bissau first two AFCON participations in 2017 and 2019 ended at the group stage level.
Candé who is the coach to guide Guinea Bissau to all their three successive AFCON appearances, included three veterans who played for Djurtus in Gabon 2017 and Egypt 2019.
They are goalkeeper Jonas Mendes, and forwards Piquete Djassi Silva and Frédéric Mendy.
The squad also included Moreto Cassama, midfielder of Stade Reims (France) and Djurtus future star.
Candé who aims "to do better than the two previous editions by qualifying in the second round", added that his team will play in a difficult group with opponents like seven-time champions Egypt, three-time winners Nigeria and 1970 champions Sudan.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Jonas Mendes (Beira Mar, Portugal), Maurice Gomis (Ayia Napa FC, Cyprus), Manuel Mama Samba Baldé (Vizela, Portugal)
Defenders: Eulanio Chipela Gomes (FC Porto, Portugal), Fali Candé (Portimonense, Portugal), Manconi Soriano Mané (Moreirense, Portugal), Ladislau Leonel Ucha Alves (Marihense, Portugal), Aurisio Saliu Junior (Vilafranquence, Portugal), Opa Sangatte (Chateauroux, France), Jefferson Encada (Leixoes, Portugal), Ferdinand Mendy (Alloa Athletic FC, Scotland).
Midfielders: Judilson Gomes (AS Monaco, France), Jorge Braima Candé Nougueira (Farense, Portugal), Jaoa Lamine Jaquité (Vilafranquence, Portugal), Moreto Cassama (Stade Reims, France), Alfa Semedo Esteves (Vitoria Guimaraes, Portugal) , Panutchi Pereira Camara (Plymouth Argyle, England)
Forwards: Mama Samba Baldé (Troyes, France), Piqueti Djassi Silva (Al Shoalah, Saudi Arabia), Jorge Barbosa Intima (Wisla Plock, Poland), Mauro Rodrigues Texeira (Sion, Switzerland), Joseph Mendes (Niort, France), Steve Brahim Omar Ambri (Sochaux, France), Frédéric Mendy (Vitoria Setubal, Portugal)