Ivory Coast U23 squad announced for Egypt friendlies: Amad Diallo and Karim Konaté not included

Haïdara Soualiho, the coach of the Côte d’Ivoire U23 team, has unveiled his 21-player squad for the upcoming double friendly fixtures against Egypt in Cairo on June 7 and 11. The list, however, notably excludes Manchester United’s Amad Diallo and RB Salzburg’s Karim Konaté.

Despite limited playing time at Manchester United, where Diallo made 12 appearances and netted two crucial goals, his absence from the squad is surprising.

Similarly, Karim Konaté, who had an impressive season with 20 goals in the Austrian Bundesliga, is also missing.

Konaté’s remarkable performance has even drawn interest from AS Monaco as a potential successor to Wissam Ben Yedder.

The Selected Squad

Haïdara’s squad includes nine players who play their club football abroad.

Notable inclusions are goalkeeper Issa Fofana from Al-Hilal in Sudan, defenders Bakary Haidara of Westerlo in Belgium, and Ange Ahoussou, who made 27 appearances for Pau in France’s Ligue 2.

The midfield is bolstered by Mario Dorgeles, who has Europa Conference League experience with Nordsjælland, and Bénie Traoré, who has featured 14 times for FC Nantes in Ligue 1.

Offensive Strength

In the attacking department, there is a strong presence of expatriate players. These include Ibrahim Ouattara, who plays for Clermont B in France’s fifth division, Abdoulaye Traoré from Zulte Waregem in Belgium, and Lasso Coulibaly of Randers in Denmark’s top flight.

Additionally, Malick Hassan Sanogo, who has represented Germany’s U18 and U19 teams as well as the U.S. U20 squad, currently plays for Nuremberg’s reserve team in Germany’s fourth division.

The Challenge Ahead

The Ivorian U23 squad faces a significant challenge against Egypt, who have already qualified for the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris.

The Egyptian U23 team secured their Olympic berth by finishing as runners-up in the 2023 Africa U23 Cup of Nations, narrowly losing 2-1 to the host nation.

Complete Squad List

1. Issa Fofana (Al-Hilal, Sudan)
2. Bakary Haidara (Westerlo, Belgium)
3. Ange Ahoussou (Pau, France)
4. Mario Dorgeles (Nordsjælland, Denmark)
5. Bénie Traoré (FC Nantes, France)
6. Ibrahim Ouattara (Clermont B, France)
7. Abdoulaye Traoré (Zulte Waregem, Belgium)
8. Lasso Coulibaly (Randers, Denmark)
9. Malick Hassan Sanogo (Nuremberg, Germany)

The Ivorian team will need to bring their best to these friendlies, as the matches will serve as critical tests against a formidable Egyptian side. While the absence of Diallo and Konaté is notable, it opens the door for other players to step up and showcase their talents on the international stage.