Soccer-Algeria keep faith with World Cup squad
ALGIERS (Reuters) - Algeria named all 23 players from their World Cup squad and eight more considered unlucky to miss the final cut for Brazil for their opening qualifiers for next year's African Nations Cup finals, the country's soccer federation said on Friday. Crystal Palace midfielder Adlene Guedioura, who was cut from the World Cup squad just days before the deadline, was recalled by new coach Christian Gourcuff to the expanded 31-man squad that includes only one uncapped player, Olympique Lyonnaise defender Mehdi Zeffane. The Africans, who impressed in Brazil under then coach Vahid Halilhodzic by advancing to the second round, open their African Nations Cup campaign away against Ethiopia on Sept. 6 and host Mali at home six days later. Algeria are among the favourites for the tournament, being hosted in neighbouring Morocco from Jan. 18-Feb. 8. Squad: Goalkeepers: Rais Mbolhi (Philadelphia Union), Faouzi Chaouchi (Mouloudia Alger), Cedric Si Mohamed (CS Constantine), Mohamed Lamine Zemmamouche (USM Alger). Defenders: Essaid Belkalem (Watford), Madjid Bougherra (Foujairah), Liassine Cadamuro (Real Sociedad), Faouzi Ghoulam (Naples), Rafik Halliche (Qatar SC), Aissa Mandi (Stade Reims), Carl Medjani (Trabzonspor), Djamel Mesbah (Parma), Mehdi Mostefa (Lorient), Medhi Zeffane (Olympique Lyonnaise) Midfielders: Nabil Bentaleb (Tottenham Hotspur), Ryad Boudebouz (Bastia), Yacine Brahimi (Porto), Abdelmoumene Djabou (Club Africain), Sofiane Feghouli (Valencia), Adlene Guedioura (Crystal Palace), Fethi Harek (Nimes), Foued Kadir (Olympique de Marseille), Amir Karaoui (Mouloudia Alger), Mehdi Lacen (Getafe), Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City), Saphir Taider (Southampton), Hassan Yebda (no club) Forwards: Ishak Belfodil (Parma), Nabil Ghilas (Porto), Islam Slimani (Sporting Lisbon), El Arabi Soudani (Dinamo Zagreb).
