Mali pick newcomers in Afcon squad

Injury-hit Mali have named uncapped Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Boubacar Traore and Lorient striker Sirine Doucoure in their squad for this month’s African Cup of Nations finals.

Traore, who joined Wolves from Metz in France last year, has previously played for Mali at junior level, including winning the African under-20 championship in 2019.

Doucoure has served mainly as a substitute this season and has scored one goal in Ligue 1.

Coach Eric Chelle, who will be without several key players in the Ivory Coast, brought in both players as replacements in his 27-man squad named ahead of the Wednesday deadline.

Crystal Palace’s Cheick Doucoure misses out after having surgery on an Achilles tendon injury, while Atalanta forward El Bilal Toure has still not recovered from a serious thigh injury.

Also sidelined are Spain-based Ibrahima Kone, fullback Massadio Haidara from Racing Lens and former Southampton winger Moussa Djenepo, now at Standard Liege in Belgium.

Mali will begin their Group E campaign against South Africa on January 16. They will also meet Tunisia and Namibia in the group stage.

– SuperSport/Reuters