Mali Leave Out Skipper Diarra, Kanouté

Malian national team coach Stephen Keshi has named a 20-man squad that is without Diarra, Kanoute, Barcelona midfielder Seyou Keita and Lamine Sissoko of Juventus as they are all sidelined by injury.

The absence of these stars means that several uncapped players and those featuring in the domestic league have been called up and will stake their claims.

The Eagles of Mali are drawn in Group Four of the joint qualifying tournament for the 2010 World Cup and African Cup of Nations along with Ghana, Benin and Sudan, while Algeria are in Group Three with Egypt, Zambia and Rwanda.

Full Mali squad:

Oumar Sissoko (FC Metz-France), Soumaila Diakité (Stade Malien), Amadou Sidibé (Auxerre- France), Souleymane Dembélé (Djoliba), Aboubacar Tambadou (Stade malien), Aboubacar Magassa (CSK), Eric Sekou Schelle (Lens-France), Souleymane Diamounténé ( Lecce-Italy), Abdoulaye Camara (Durban-South Africa), Kalifa Cissé (Reading-England), Sidi Yaya Keita (Lens), Alphousseyni Kéita (Le Mans-France), Cheick Fanta Mady Diarra (CSK), Modibo Maiga (Le Mans- France), Cheich Tidiane Diabaté (Ajaccio-France), Mustapha Yatabaré (Clermond Ferrand- France), Sambou Yatabaré (Caen -France), Ténéma Ndiaye (Tours- France), Bagary Diakité (Wiesbaden-Germany), Sékou Camara (CSK).

Samm Audu