Mali names 25-man squad for Stars clash

Accra, May 31, GNA - Mali coach Stephen Keshi has named a 25-man

squad for next month's 2010 World Cup/Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. The Eagles host Ghana's Black Stars on June 7 in Bamako before playing Benin in a fortnight. Information pieced together by GNA Sports from Bamako indicates that Keshi has included defender Cheick Oumar Bello of local side ASKO and

Olympique Marseille striker Mahamadou Samassi in the squad. Making a return to the team is Juventus midfielder Mohamed Lamine Sissoko, who just returned to action from a long lay off. Experienced trio, Souma=EFla Coulibaly of German giants Borussia M=F6nchengladbach, C=E9dric Kant=E9 of French side, OG Nice and Mahamadou

Diarra of Real Madrid fame have been left out of the squad due to injuries.

Full squad: Goalkeepers - Mahamadou Sidib=E9 (Etnikos, Greece), Oumar Sissoko (Metz, France), Soumbeyla Diakit=E9 (Stade Malien)

Defenders - Adama Coulibaly, Amadou Sidib=E9 (Auxerre, France), Adama Tamboura (Helsingborg, Su=E8de), Souleymane Diamout=E9n=E9 (AS Rome, Italy), Cheick Oumar Ballo (ASKO, Mali), Boubacar Sidiki Kon=E9 (Fes, Morocco), Drissa Diakit=E9 (Nice, France), Bakary Soumar=E9 (Chicago Fire, USA).

Midfielders - Souleymane Demb=E9l=E9 (Djoliba AC), Lassana Fan=E9 (El Merrikh, Sudan), Mohamed Lamine Sissoko (Juventus, Italy), Djimi Boubou K=E9b=E9 (Reading, England), Seydou Ke=EFta (FC Barcelona, Spain), El Hadj Mahamane Traor=E9 (Nice, France), Sambou Yattabar=E9 (Caen, France).

Attackers - Fr=E9d=E9ric Kanout=E9 (S=E9ville, Spain), Mamadou Diallo (Le Havre, France), Moustaph Yattabar=E9 (Clermont Foot, France), Cheick Tidiane Diabat=E9 (Ajaccio, France), Mahamadou Samassa (Marseille, France), Modibo Ma=EFga (Le Mans, France), Bakaye Traor=E9 (Amiens, France).