Ivory Coast coach Ibrahim Camara has called up Lyon forward Maxwell Cornet as a replacement for injured striker Wilfried Zaha ahead of Sunday’s 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier against Guinea.
After sustaining a thigh injury in a Premier League match against Chelsea on November 4, Zaha was expected to be back in time for the trip to Conakry.
"It's a thigh injury and we're trying to make sure he's fit for the trip to Manchester United (on 24 November)," Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson was quoted as saying by BBC.
Cornet had been excluded from the Ivory Coast squad despite scoring in the 4-0 thumping of Central African Republic last month and was also on target for Lyon in last Saturday’s Ligue 1 4-2 overGuingamp away.
While the Ivorian Elephants are grappling with the absence of Zaha, their opponents Guinea have their own injury concerns to deal with.
Captain Ibrahima Traore is still out injured and will again miss the important Afcon qualifier. Guinea lead Group H and a draw will see them book a ticket to the 2019 Afcon tournament to be staged in Cameroon.
The Syli Nationale beat the Ivoirians 3-2 away in the opening match of the campaign last year.
