Cranes tormentor Bissouma pulls out of Mali AFCON squad

Yves Bissouma has pulled out of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations squad due to a shoulder injury.

The Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder scored against Uganda during AFCON 2017 in Gabon and had also netted against the local based team in the 2016 Chan in Rwanda.

His club has confirmed the player will undergo surgery and could miss the start of the new campaign in the English Premier League.

Mali will face Mauritania, Tunisia and Angola in Group E in Egypt.

Mali’s revised provisional squad:

Goalkeepers: Djigui Diarra (Stade Malien), Ibrahim Mounkoro (TP Mazembe, DR Congo), Adama Keita (Djoliba)

Defenders: Molla Wague (Nottingham Forest, England), Hamari Traore (Rennes, France), Falaye Sacko (Vitoria Guimaraes, Portugal), Massadio Haidara (Lens, France), Youssouf Kone (Lille, France), Mamadou Fofana (Metz, France), Boubacar Kiki Kouyate (Troyes, France)

Midfielders: Diadie Samassekou (RB Salzbourg, Austria), Amadou Haidara (RB Leipzig, Germany), Cheick Doucoure (Lens, France), Yves Bissouma (Brighton, England), Lassana Coulibaly (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland), Adama Traore (Cercle Bruges, Belgium), Souleymane Diarra (Lens, France), Idrissa Traore (Shabab Al-Jabal, Libya)

Forwards: Moussa Djenepo (Standard Liege, Belgium), Moussa Doumbia (Reims, France), Abdoulay Diaby (Sporting CP, Portugal), Moussa Marega (FC Porto, Portugal), Kalifa Coulibaly (Nantes, France), Hadi Sacko (Ankaragucu, Turkey), Adama Niane (Charleroi, Belgium), Adama Traore (Orleans, France), Sekou Koita (Wolfsberger AC, Austria)