By News Express on May 20, 2016

Mali coach Alain Giresse has named a 23 man strong team to face Nigeria in an international friendly in Rouen, France on May 27th.

Les Aiglons will face the Super Eagles at the Stade Richon in a game both sides will use to tune up their squads for upcoming engagements.

Mali have a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier with South Sudan on June 3-5 and will welcome a stern test from a Nigeria team who have lost out in the running for a ticket to Gabon 2017.

Giresse has included Crystal Palace winger Bakary Sako. KAA Gent’s rising start Kalifa Coulibaly and Cheick Diabate of Bordeaux.

He has however dropped Birama Toure, Molla Wague, Youssouf Kone and Tongo Doumbia while Weder Bremen's’ Sambou Yatabare misses out due to injury.

FULL LIST OF INVITED PLAYERS

Goalkeepers:Oumar Sissoko (Orleans, France), Djigui Diarra (Stade Malien, Mali)Aly Yirango (FC Challans, France).

Defenders: Salif Coulibaly ( TP Mazembe, DR Congo) and Cheick Keita (Virtues Entella, Italy) Maruis Hamed Assako (Eleven Creators, Mali), Hamari Traoré (Reims, France), Ousmane Coulibaly (Platanias, Greece) and Ousseynou Cissé (Beveren-Waaslande, Belgium) Mohamed Konate (Renaissance Berkane, Morocco).

Midfielders: Idrissa Traoré (Vita Club, DR Congo), Bakary Sako (Crystal Palace, England) Abdoulaye Sissoko (Esperance Sportive of Tunisia) and Abdoulaye Traoré (Djoliba AC, Mali) Mamoutou N’Diaye (Rs Antwerp, Belgium), Yacouba Sylla (Rennes, France), Abdou Traoré (Bordeaux, France).

Attackers: Kalifa Coulibaly (Gent, Belgium), Cheick Tidiane Diabaté (Bordeaux, France), Moussa Doumbia (Rostov, Russia) Tiécoro Keita (Paris FC, France) Modibo Maiga (Al Nasr Riyadh, Saudi Arabia), Abdoulaye Diaby (FC Bruges, Belgium).

•Sourced from supersport.com. Photo shows Mali coach Alain Giresse.

Source News Express

Posted May 20, 2016

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