Lille’s 21-year old striker Yassine Benzia has been called to join the Algerian national football team ahead of their double clash with Ethiopia in Group J of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
It will be the player’s first time on the team according following numerous impressive shifts in the top flight league in France.
Algeria head coach Christian Gourcuff named him in the 23-man squad in which he will join four local youngsters in Azzeddine Doukha (JS Kabylie), Malik Asselah (CR Belouizdad), JS Kabylie defender Mohamed Khoutir Ziti and USM Alger midfielder Nacereddine Khoualed.
Dinamo Zagreb striker Hilal Soudani returns to the outfit following recovery from an injury he sustained in Algeria’s 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Tanzania last November.
Algeria, top of Group J with six points, will host Ethiopia in Blida on 25 March before travelling to Addis Ababa for the return leg due 29 March.