MALI NAME AFCON 2015 SQUAD

Seydou Keita

The Eagles will be captained by 34-year-old Seydou Keita, who is enjoying a fine season with Italian giants AS Roma, in what will be his seventh Afcon tournament.

Goalkeepers Germain Berthe and N'Tji Michel Samake are the only two locally-based players called up by coach Henryk Kasperczak, with Samake included despite not being named in the initial 35-man squad.

Other surprise inclusions include Metz forward Modibo Maiga, who did not feature in any of Mali’s qualifiers, as well as Bordeaux midfielder Abdou Traore, who has not represented his country for over a year.

Mali, who finished third in the last two Afcon competitions, have been drawn in a tough group alongside African giants Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Guinea.

They are currently ranked 50th in the latest Fifa rankings and 11th in Africa, one spot above 12th placed Bafana Bafana.

FULL SQUAD:

Goalkeepers: Soumaïla Diakite (Esteghlal Khuzestan, Iran), Germain Berthe (Eleven Creators), N'Tji Michel Samake (CS Duguwolofila Mali)

Defenders: Drissa Diakite (Bastia, France), Fousseyni Diawara (Tours, France), Molla Wague (Udinese, Italy), Ousmane Coulibaly (Platanias, Greece), Adama Tamboura (Randers, Denmark), Idrissa Coulibaly (Hassania Agadir, Morocco), Salif Coulibaly (TP Mazembe, DR Congo), Mohamed Konate (Renaissance Berkane, Morocco)

Midfielders: Seydou Keita (Roma, Italy), Tongo Hamed Doumbia (Toulouse, France), Yacouba Sylla (Erciyesspor, Turkey), Mamoutou N'Diaye (Zulte Waregem, Belgium), Abdou Traore (Bordeaux, France), Sigamary Diarra (Valenciennes, France)

Forwards: Cheick Tidiane Diabate (Bordeaux, France), Bakary Sako (Wolverhampton Wanderers, England), Mustapha Yatabare (Trabzonspor, Turkey), Sambou Yattabare (Guingamp, France), Abdoulaye Diaby (Mouscron, Belgium), Modibo Maiga (Metz, France)