Mali midfielder Sadio Kanoute has told Goal that he’s a doubt for the Eagles’ Wafu Cup quarter-final after picking up a knee injury.
The Stade Malien man started Mali’s tournament opener, a 3-1 victory over Niger, but is not training ahead of Saturday’s quarter-final against Sierra Leone.
“I picked up a small knock to my knee,” he told Goal, “and the pain is preventing me from training.
“I don’t think I’ll play [against Sierra Leone], but there are other midfielders who can step in.”
Kanoute played the entirety of Mali's opener, but Real Bamako's Makan Sambaly is one of several candidates to replace him in the starting line-up for the next clash.
Stade Malien’s Kanoute, nicknamed the Malian Busquets, has vowed to battle back in time for Mali’s future Wafu Cup bouts should they defeat the Leone Stars.
“I’ll do my best to come back quickly,” he concluded.
The Wafu Cup quarter-finals commence on Thursday when Senegal meet Benin, while first-round losers Guinea-Bissau and Guinea collide in the plate competition.
