Champions, Senegal, have announced their 25-player squad for the 2024 CHAN, with midfielder Serigne Moctar Koité emerging as the only member retained from their triumphant 2022 campaign, www.aclsports.com reports.
Head coach Souleymane Diallo’s selection notably excludes Papa Doudou Diallo, the prolific Linguère de Saint-Louis striker who finished as the top scorer in the Senegalese Ligue 1 this season with 11 goals. His omission comes as a major surprise ahead of the team’s title defence.
Koité, who plies his trade with Jaraaf, is expected to inject vital experience into a squad brimming with talented domestic players from clubs including Teungueth FC, US Gorée, and Génération Foot. AS Kaffrine forward Mapathé Mbodji, the leading scorer in Ligue 2, has been called up to boost attacking options, while key figures such as Layousse Samb (Teungueth FC), Mbaye Ndiaye (Jaraaf), and Libasse Gueye (Teungueth FC) maintain their places to ensure tactical continuity.
Explaining his decisions, coach Diallo said, “I am confident that this squad represents the best of what we have. My hope is that when the tournament begins, they will prove me right.”
The squad is scheduled to leave Dakar early this week for a pre-tournament training camp in Tanzania.
Senegal have been drawn in Group D at the tournament, where they will lock horns with Nigeria, Congo, and Sudan.
Senegal Squad for CHAN 2024:
Goalkeepers: Idrissa Ndiaye (Football Generation), Samba Mballo (US Gorée), Marc P.A. Diouf (Teungueth FC)
Defenders: Seyni Mbaye Ndiaye (US Gorée), Mbaye Ndiaye (Jaraaf), Amadou Bene Coly (Ajel), Layousse Samb (Teungueth FC), Malick Sembène (Dakar Sacré-Cœur), Baye Assane Ciss (Teungueth FC), Daouda Ba (Dakar Sacré-Cœur)
Midfielders: Ousseynou Fall Seck (Ajel), Moussa Cissé (Génération Foot), Bonaventure Fonseca (US Ouakam), Serigne Moctar Koité (Jaraaf), Mbaye Yaya Ly (AS Pikine), Insa Boye (Diambars FC), Issa Kane (Casa Sports), Pape Abasse Badji (Football Generation)
Forwards: Mapathé Mbodji (AS Kaffrine), Libasse Gueye (Teungueth FC), Christian Gomis (Essamaye FC), Oumar Ba (US Gorée), Vieux Cissé (US Gorée), Ababacar Sarr (Jaraaf), Ameth Niang (Jaraaf).
