Nations Cup 2015: Mali coach Henryk Kasperczak names provisional 35-man squad

Mali coach Henryk Kasperczak announced a 35-player pre-list ahead of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.

“I casted a wide net by announcing a list of the 35 most competitive Malian players,” Kasperczak told Malifootball.

“Early next week, the official 23-player list for the 2015 AFCON will be unveiled by the President of the Malian Football Federation in Bamako. Reservists will also be announced. Those players will have to be ready in case of injuries.”

The Polish manager picked four local players in his pre-list, as well as five Africa-based players.

The Eagles will resume an eight-day camp in Libreville, Gabon, on January 6, and are set to face South Africa on January 9 and Tunisia on January 13 in warm-up friendlies.

Seydou Keita and his teammates will kick off their AFCON campaign against Cameroon in Malabo on January 20 before facing Côte d’Ivoire on the same ground on January 24 and Guinea in Mongomo four days later.

MALI 35-PLAYER PRE-LIST FOR 2015 AFCON

Goalkeepers: Mamadou Samassa (Guingamp, France), Soumaïla Diakité (Esteghlal Khuzestan, Iran), Oumar Sissoko (Ajaccio, France), Germain Berthé (Onze Créateurs), Abdoulaye Samaké (CO Bamako).

Defenders: Drissa  Diakité (Bastia, France), Alassane També (Courtrai, Belgium), Fousseyni  Diawara (Tours, France), Molla Wagué (Udinese, Italy), Ousmane Coulibaly (Platanias, Greece), Adama  Tamboura (Randers, Denmark), Idrissa  Coulibaly (Hassania Agadir, Morocco), Salif Coulibaly (TP Mazembe, DR Congo), Mohamed O.Konaté (Renaissance Berkane, Morocco).

Midfielders: Seydou Kéita (AS Rome, Italy), Bakaye Traoré (Bursaspor, Turkey),  Bakary Sako (Wolverhampton, England), Tongo Hamed Doumbia (Toulouse, France), Birama Touré (Brest, France), Yacouba Sylla (Erciyesspor, Turkey), Mamoutou N’Diaye (Zulte Waregem, Belgium), Sambou Yattabaré (Guingamp, France), Abdou Traoré (Bordeaux, France), Ibourahima Sidibé (MAS Fès, Morocco), Souleymane Diarra (AS Réal), Idrissa Traoré (Stade Malien), Sigamary Diarra (Valenciennes, France).

Forwards: Cheick Tidiane Diabaté (Bordeaux, France), Mustapha Yatabaré (Trabzonspor, Turkey), Abdoulaye Diaby (Mouscron, Belgium), Nouha  Dicko (Wolverhampton, England), Mohamed Traoré (El Merreikh, Sudan), Cheick Fantamady Diarra (Auxerre, France), Modibo Maïga (Metz, France), Mousssa Doumbia (FC Rostov, Russia).