adminCore d’IVOIRE coach Sabri Lamouchi has published his 28-man provisional squad for the World Cup, but said he could bring in two more players before drawing the final list of 23. Most of the Elephants’ veterans feature on the list, to be led by captain Didier Drogba, whose team-mate at Galatasaray Emmanuel Eboue and Tiene Siaka of French side Montpellier were not included due to technical reasons, according to the coach.
Gervinho, Salomon Kalou, Cheick Tiote and both Yaya and Kolo Toure are included in the squad.
The team will hold preparations in the US from May 20 until June 6, during which they will play two friendly matches against Bosnia on May 30 and Salvador on June 4 in Dallas before flying to Brazil.
The French coach expressed his fears about the form of the team’s most influential player, Yaya Toure, as well as Drogba, following injury concerns.
In Group C alongside Colombia and Greece, Cote d’Ivoire will open their campaign against Japan, the fourth member of the group, which Lamouchi said would be their most difficult game as opposed to Colombia, considered top favourites of the lot.
Cote D’Ivoire provisional squad:
Goalkeepers: Boubacar Barry (Lokeren), Gbohouo Sylvain (Sewe Sport), Sayouba Mandé (Stabaek), Badra Ali (ASEC Mimosas).
Defenders: Kolo Touré (Liverpool), Bamba Souleyman (Trabzonspor), Jean Daniel Akpa Akpro (Toulouse), Arthur Boka (Stuttgart), Serge Aurier (Toulouse), Brice Dja Djédjé (Marseille), Didier Zokora (Trabzonspor), Benjamin Angoua Brou (Valenciennes), Ousman Vieira (Caykur Rizespor).
Midfielders: Cheick Tioté (Newcastle), Yaya Touré (Manchester City), Romaric (Bastia), Max-Alain Gradel (St Etienne), Ismaël Diomandé (St Etienne), Didier Ya Konan (Hannover 96), Constant Djakpa (Eintracht Frankfurt), Geoffroy Serey Dié (Basel).
Strikers: Wilfried Bony (Swansea), Didier Drogba (Galatasaray), Gervinho (Roma), Giovanni Sio (Basel), Seydou Doumbia (CSKA Moscow), Lacina Traoré (Monaco), Salomon Kalou (Lille).
— Online
Online Reporter