Background:
Senegal enter the Africa Cup of Nations with one of the most fearsome strike forces in the tournament’s history.If Papiss Demba Cissé (Newcastle), Moussa Sow (Lille), Mamadou Niang (Al Sadd) and Demba Ba (Newcastle), backed up by a physically imposing midfield, cannot fire Senegal at least into the quarter-finals, questions will be asked of coach Amara Traore.
Niang finished qualifying with five goals, while Cisse, second top scorer in the Bundesliga last season with Freiburg, and Moussa Sow, top scorer with Lille, netted four each. Will Amara again deploy this trio in a three-pronged attack, or bring in Ba who has scored 15 goals for Newcastle this season? Either way he has an embarrassment of riches. Expect entertainment.
23-man Senegal Africa Cup of Nations Squad:
Goalkeepers: Khadim Ndiaye (ASC Linguere), Bouna Coundoul (New York Red Bulls, USA), Pape Latyr Ndiaye (Ouakam)
Defenders: Kader Mangane (Rennes, France), Souleymane Diawara (Marseille, France), Lamine Sané (Bordeaux, France), Jacques Faty (Sivasspor, Turkey), Moustapha Bayal Sall (St Etienne, France), Pape Malickou Diakhaté (Granada, Spain), Cheikh Mbengue (Toulouse, France), Armand Traoré (QPR, England), Omar Daf (Brest, France)
Midfielders: Rémi Gomis (Valenciennes, France) , Mouhamed Diamé ( Wigan, England), Guirane N'Daw (Birmingham City, England), Ndiaye Dème Ndiaye (Arles-Avignon, France)
Forwards: Issiar Dia ( Fenerbahce, Turkey), Moussa Sow (Lille, France), Papiss Demba Cissé (Newcastle United, England), Souleymane Camara (Montpelier, France), Mamadou Niang (Al Sadd, Qatar), Demba Ba (Newcastle United, England), Dame N'Doye (FC Copenhagen, Denmark).
Player to Watch:
Papiss Demba Cissé
Newcastle’s newest signing is expected to form an explosive partnership with Ba when the duo complete their African Cup of Nations commitments. Freiburg broke their transfer record to sign the striker from Metz in December 2009, and he delivered a solid return on the investment. Second top scorer behind Bayern Munich’s Mario Gomez in the 2010-11 Bundesliga season, Cisse’s goals ensured that the modest German outfit finished the season in mid-table. Cisse has pace to burn and those 22 strikes means he holds the record for goals scored in a single Bundesliga season by an African player.
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