Mauritania have announced their 28-man team for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations with Le Havre’s Pape Ibnou Ba and Le Mans’ Ibrehima Coulibaly making the cut.
In a squad dominated by foreign-based professionals, coach Didier Gomes Da Rosa named 16-year old Beyatt Lekweiry in his final list. The midfielder represents Senegalese top flight side AS Douanes.
Also making the Lions of Chinguetti’s squad are unattached players Mohamed Dellah Yali and Harouna Abou Demba as well as Bulgaria-based Oumar Camara and Royal Francs Borains defender Houssen Abderrahmane.
Babacar Diop, Mbacke Ndiaye, Mohamed El Mokhtar, Mohsen Bodda, Mohamed Soueid, Beyatt Lekweiry, Hemeya Tanjy and Idrissa Thiam are the only local-based professionals in the Mauritania team for Cameroon 2021.
The West Africans are making their second appearance at the continental showpiece, and they will square up against Tunisia, Mali and Gambia in Group F.
They will commence their campaign against the Scorpions on January 12 at the Limbe Stadium.
Four days later, they tackle 2004 African kings Carthage Eagles at the same venue before taking on Mohamed Magassouba’s Eagles on January 20 at the Japoma Stadium in Douala.
Mauritania made their Afcon debut at Egypt 2019, although they crashed out of the group stage as they finished at the base of Group E with just two points.
Mauritania squad for Afcon 2021
Goalkeepers: Babacar Diop (FC Nouadhibou, Mauritania), Mbacke Ndiaye (Nouakchott Kings, Mauritania), Mohamed El Mokhtar (AS Douanes, Mauritania).
Defenders: Abdoul Ba (Al Ahli, Libya), Diadie Diarra (Goal FC, France), El Hassen Houbeibib (Al Zawaraa, Iraq), Harouna Abou Demba (Unattached), Souleymane Karamoko (Nancy, France), Aly Abeid (Valenciennes, France), Houssen Abderrahmane (Royal Francs Borains, Belgium), Abdoulkader Thiam (US Boulogne, France).
Midfielders: Mohamed Dellah Yali (Unattached), Guessouma Fofana (Cluj, Romania), Ibrehima Coulibaly (Le Mans, France), Khassa Camara (NorthEast United FC, India), Almike Moussa Ndiaye (Goal FC, France), Yacoub Sidi Ethmane (AS Vita, DR Congo), Mohsen Bodda (FC Nouadhibou, Mauritania), Abdallahi Mahmoud (NK Istra, Croatia), Mohamed Soueid (FC Nouadhibou, Mauritania), Beyatt Lekweiry (AS Douanes, Mauritania).
Forwards: Aboubakar Kamara (Aris Thessaloniki, Greece), Hemeya Tanjy (FC Nouadhibou, Mauritania), Oumar Camara (Beroe Stara Zagora, Bulgaria), Adama Ba (RS Berkane, Morocco), Souleymane Doukara (Giresunspor Kulubu, Turkey), Idrissa Thiam (ASAC Concorde, Mauritania), Pape Ibnou Ba (Le Havre, France).
