African Roundup

World Cup hero Diop returns to Senegal squad

DAKAR (Reuters) -- World Cup hero Pape Bouba Diop returned to Senegal's national team on Wednesday after being named as part of the squad for the African Nations Cup qualifier against the Gambia on March 30.

Diop, who scored the goal which beat defending champions France in the opening game of the World Cup finals in Seoul last year, has been out with a groin injury since December.

The midfielder joins fellow African Footballer of the Year nominee El Hadji Diouf in the squad named by new coach Guy Stephan.

It is the Frenchman's second game in charge since his appointment in January. Senegal lost 1-0 to Morocco in Paris in a friendly international last month on his debut.

Stephan has had to leave out five regulars from the World Cup finals last year, including captain Aliou Cisse, through injury or lack of club action.

Senegal's overwhelming reservoir of talent based with clubs in Europe was again clear as just two of the 19 players named in the squad are with clubs in Senegal.

Stephan called up Toulouse striker Ousmane Ndoye for the first time and the vice-captain of the country's under-23 side Ibrahima Sonko, who is playing his first season at English second division club Brentford.

The match in Banjul is the second for Senegal in their Nations Cup group after they beat Lesotho 1-0 last September.

At last year's World Cup, Senegal reached the quarter-finals but lost to Turkey.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Kalidou Cissokho (Jeanne d'Arc), Tony Sylva (Monaco, France)

Defenders: Ferdinand Coly (Birmingham City, England), Ibrahima Diallo (Jeanne d'Arc), Souleymane Diawara (Le Havre, France), Pape Malick Diop (Lorient, France), Baye Ali Ibra Kebe (Spartak Moscow, Russia), Ibrahima Sonko (Brentford, England), Ibrahim Tall (Sochaux, France)

Midfielders: Salif Daio (Liverpool, England), Pape Bouba Diop (RC Lens, France), Amdy Faye (AJ Auxerre, France), Sylvain Ndiaye (Lille, France)

Strikers: Henri Camara (Sedan, France), Mamadou Diabang (Arminia Bielefeld, Germany), El Hadji Ousseynou Diouf (Liverpool, England), Diomansy Kamara (Modena, Italy), Ousmane Ndoye (Toulouse, France), Mamadou Niang (Metz, France).

South Africa drops captain for friendly

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -- South Africa have dropped goalkeeper Andre Arendse, who has captained the side since last year's World Cup finals, from their squad for a friendly against Madagascar in Johannesburg on March 29.

Arendse, who earned notoriety for his World Cup blunders, has played 60 times for South Africa but is replaced by the uncapped Moeneeb Josephs from Ajax Cape Town.

Coach Ephraim Mashaba named three other uncapped players, including one who has featured in the starting line-up for his club just once this season.

Joel Seroba, a winger from Dynamos, has gained a reputation as a 'super sub' in South Africa's premier league with 21 appearances off the bench and scored eight goals.

The other uncapped players are Lucas Sebona and striker Mabhuti Khanyeza, promoted up from the under-23 side.

Ajax Amsterdam midfielder Steven Pienaar, 21, is included after his performances for the Dutch club in the Champions League. He has only played once for South Africa before, in May before the World Cup finals in Japan and South Korea.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Brian Baloyi (Kaizer Chiefs), Moeneeb Josephs (Ajax Cape Town)

Defenders: Matthew Booth (Rostselmash, Russia), Tony Coyle (Wits University), Jacob Lekgetho (Lokomotiv Moscow, Russia), Lucky Lekgwathi, Mbulelo Mabizela (both Orlando Pirates), Aaron Mokoena (Germinal Beerschot, Belgium), Thabang Molefe (Jomo Cosmos), Cyril Nzama (Kaizer Chiefs)

Midfielders: Delron Buckley (VfL Bochum, Germany), Stanton Fredericks (Kaizer Chiefs), Goodman Mazibuko (Orlando Pirates), Teboho Mokoena (Jomo Cosmos), Steven Pienaar (Ajax Amsterdam, Netherlands), Lucas Sebona (Moroka Swallows), Joel Seroba (Dynamos), Japhet Zwane (Rostselmash, Russia)

Strikers: Mabhuti Khanyeza (Lamontville Golden Arrows), George Koumantarakis (Preston North End, England), Lesley Manyathela (Orlando Pirates), Sibusiso Zuma (FC Copenhagen, Denmark).

Five newcomers named in Algeria squad

ALGIERS (Reuters) -- Algeria's new coach George Leekens has make several changes to his squad, naming five uncapped players in the 20-man party to travel to Angola for a friendly international on March 29.

Leekens, taking charge of his second match after the 3-1 home defeat by Belgium last month, also included eight of the country's European-based professionals.

The new call-ups include French-born Mohamed Fadel Brahami of Le Havre and young striker Fares Fellahi of Entente Setif. The others are goalkeepers Fatid Belmellat and Nassim Ousserir and defender Samir Zaoui.

The match will serve as a warm-up for African Nations Cup qualifiers against Chad and Namibia in June and July. Algeria are almost sure to qualify for the finals in Tunisia next year after winning their first two matches in the three-team group.

Squad:

Goalkeepers -- Farid Belmellat (JSM Bejaia), Lounes Gaououi (JSK Kabylie), Nassim Ousserir (RC Kouba)

Defenders -- Noureddine Driouche (JSK Kabylie), Smain Diss (USM Blida), Yazid Mansouri (Le Havre, France), Brahim Zafour (JS Kabylie), Samir Zaoui (ASO Chlef), Abderraouf Zarabi (NA Hussein-Dey)

Midfielders -- Salim Arribi (USM Alger), Djamel Belmadi (Manchester City, England), Mohamed Fadel Brahami (Le Havre), Abdelmalek Cherrad (Nice, France), Nasredine Kraouche (Ghent, Belgium)

Strikers: Nassim Akrour (Troyes, France), Bouabdellah Douad (Mouloudia Oran), Fares Fellahi (Entente Setif), Karim Ghazi (USM Alger), Rafik Saifi, Karim Ziani (both Troyes).

Westerhof returns to coach Zimbabwe's Lions

HARARE (Reuters) -- Dutchman Clemens Westerhof returned to coaching on Wednesday, appointed by Zimbabwean club Sporting Lions as their new technical director.

The 62-year-old Westerhof will take charge of all the club's teams and also initiate a youth development program for the Harare-based premier league club.

Westerhof last coached more than a year ago during a brief spell at Zimbabwe's glamour club Dynamos. He is also a former national coach of Zimbabwe and was at the helm when Nigeria made their first World Cup finals appearance in the U.S. in 1994.

He has also coached in the Netherlands, South Africa, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

 

Related information

Stories

Africa: World Cup pitch brings Trinidad friendly

Multimedia

Visit Video Plus for the latest audio and video

Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.