Algeria coach Christian Gourcuff has named Parma striker Ishak Belfodil in his final 23-man squad for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations which is dominated by foreign-based and seven players on a standby list.
Belfodil, 22, was picked ahead of Cordoba’s forward Nabil Ghilas which GHANAsoccernet.com has already exclusively hinted last week.
He has made only five Serie A starts this season without scoring a single goal and had been dropped from the final round of qualifiers against Ethiopia and Mali following a poor performance against Malawi last October.
JS Kabylie’s Azzedine Doukha and USM Alger’s Mohamed Lamine Zemmamouche are the  back-ups to first choice keeper Raïs Mbolhi.
At the heart of the ‘Fennecs’ defence, the Frenchman kept faith in Essaid Belkalem, Carl Medjani, Madjid Bougherra and Rafik Halliche.
While regular full-back duo Faouzi Ghoulam and Aïssa Mandi will compete with Djamel Mesbah and Mehdi Zeffane for a starting spot.
To hold onto the ball in the midfield, Newcastle’s Mehdi Abeid was chosen ahead of Adlene Guedioura, along experienced Mehdi Lacen, Saphir Taïder and Nabil Bentaleb.
And at the front of the Algerian attack, hitmen Islam Slimani and Hilal Soudani will rely on the likes of Riyad Mahrez, Abdelmoumen Djabou and star duo Sofiane Feghouli and Yacine Brahimi for the supply of great balls.
Foued Kadir also made the cut.
Algeria will kick off their Group C campaign in Mongomo against South Africa on 19 January before facing Ghana on the same ground on 23 January 23.
The 1990 winners wrap up their Group campaign against Senegal in Malabo on 27 January.
Algeria’s squad:
Goalkeepers: Doukha Azzedine (MC Alger), Rais M'Bolhi (Philadelphia Union, USA) Zemmamouche Mohamed Lamine (USM Alger).
Defenders: Belkalem Essaïd (Trabzonspor, Turkey), Madjid Bougherra (Al Fujairah, UAE), Ghulam Faouzi (SSC Napoli, Italy), Rafik Halliche (Qatar Club, Qatar), Aissa Mandi (Stade de Reims, France), Carl Medjani (Trabzonspor Turkey), Djamel Mesbah (FC Parma, Italy), Zeffane Mehdi(Olympique Lyon, France).
Midfielders: Mehdi Abeid (Newcastle United FC, England), Nabil Bentaleb (Tottenham Hotspur FC, England), Yacine Brahimi (Porto, Portugal), Djabou Abdelmoumene (Club Africain, Tunisia),Sofiane Feghouli (FC Valencia), Foued Kadir (Real Betis, Spain), Medhi Lacen (Getafe CF, Spain), Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City FC, England), Taïder Sapphire (Southampton FC, England).
Forwards: Belfodil Ishak (FC Parma, Italy), Islam Slimani (Sporting Lisbon), Soudan El Arbi Hillel (Dynamo Zagreb, Croatia).
Reserves:
Boudebouz Ryad (SC Bastia, France), Bounedjah Baghdad (Étoile Sportive du Sahel, Tunisie), Cadamuro Liassine (CA Osasuna, Espagne), Guedioura Adlène (Watford FC, Angleterre), Kashi Ahmed (FC Metz, France), Mesloub Walid (FC Lorient, France), Mostefa Mehdi (FC Lorient, France)
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