Newcastle striker Papiss Demba Cisse has been recalled by Coach Alain Giresse to the Senegal squad preparing to face Ivory Coast in their 2014 Africa World Cup qualifiers play off in Abidjan on October 12.
The striker missed Senegal’s last group game against Uganda in Marrakesh in September after picking up several yellow cards which the Lions of Teranga won 1-0 courtesy of a late Sadio Mane solitary goal.
Cisse is expected to fill the void left by fellow striker Mame Birame Diouf who suffered an injury over the weekend while on club duty with Hanover 96 in the Bundesliga at the weekend.
Diouf started the game against Uganda missing several chances but was later withdrawn after suffering an injury in the course of the game.
Meanwhile, Chelsea striker Demba Ba who last played for Senegal in March has again been left out of the 23-man squad.
The return leg of the playoff will take place in Casablanca, Morocco in November because Senegal are banned from playing at their home ground. The winners over the two legs will secure a place at the World Cup finals in Brazil next year.
Senegal’s last appearance at the World Cup came in 2002 where they surprisingly became only the second African nation then to reach the quarter finals.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Bouna Coundoul (Ethnikos), Cheikh Ndiaye (Stade Rennes), Issa Ndoye (Creteil)
Defenders: Issa Cissokho, Pape Mison Djilobodji (both Nantes), Lamine Gassama (Lorient), Cheikh Kouyate (Anderlecht), Cheikh Mbengue (Toulouse), Kara Mbodj (Racing Genk), Pape Ndiaye Souare (Lille), Lamine Sane (Girondins Bordeaux)
Midfielders: Stephane Badji (Brann Bergen), Mouhamed Diame (West Ham United), Idrissa Gana Gueye (Lille), Alfred Ndiaye (Eskisehirspor), Salif Sane (Hanover 96)
Forwards: Ibrahima Balde (Kuban Krasnodar), Papiss Demba Cisse (Newcastle United), Sadio Mane (Salzburg), Dame Ndoye (Lokomotiv Moscow), Henri Saivet (Girondins Bordeaux), Modou Sougou (Evian Thonon Gaillard FC), Moussa Sow (Fenerbahce).
