Ivory Coast: Gervinho, Serey Dié, Bailly recalled for selection

Ivorian Gervinho.

Andreas SOLARO / AFP

Text by: David Kalfa Follow

3 min

Patrice Beaumelle, the coach of the Ivory Coast team, has unveiled a list of 26 to face Belgium (October 8) and Japan (October 13).

The Frenchman recalled several players with whom he was African champion in 2015: Gervinho, Geoffroy Serey Dié, Éric Bailly and Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro.

And he summoned six new ones.

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Patrice Beaumelle was Hervé Renard's assistant when he won the 2015 African Cup of Nations with the Ivory Coast team.

More than five years later, the Frenchman became titular coach of the Elephants.

And he has obviously not forgotten the players with whom he was crowned in Equatorial Guinea.

He has indeed unveiled a list of 26 elements for two friendlies - against Belgium on October 8 and Japan on October 13 - which gives pride of place to ghosts.

We think especially of winger Gervinho, absent for three years in the selection, and whose return fueled the debates in Côte d'Ivoire.

There is also that of midfielder Geoffroy Serey Dié who announced his international retirement in September 2019. Defender Éric Bailly, who has increased the number of injuries and who was forfeited for CAN 2019, is also summoned.

Just like the versatile side Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro, who had almost disappeared in the national team for five years.

Some new

Patrice Beaumelle was not content to rely on experience, however.

He also made the bet of the youth by calling new in A, such as defenders Sinaly Diomandé (Olympique Lyonnais / France) and Odilon Kossounou (Club Bruges / Belgium), midfielders Mohamed Doumbia (Dukla Pargue / Czech Republic) and Juma Saeed (Kuwait SC / Kuwait), as well as forwards Lago Junior (Mallorca / Spain) and Jean Evrard Kouassi (Wuhan Zall / China).

All this little world will be gauged for a crucial double confrontation against Madagascar, scheduled for next November, in

.

The Ivorians are currently 3rd group K behind the Malagasy (1st), the Ethiopians (2nd), but ahead of the Nigeriens (4th).

CÔTE D'IVOIRE: THE 26 PLAYERS SELECTED

Goalkeepers

 : Sylvain Gbohouo (TP Mazembe / DR Congo), Eliezer Ira Tape (FC San Pedro / Ivory Coast), Nicolas Tié (Vitória Guimarães / Portugal)

 : Éric Bailly (Manchester United / England), Ismaël Traore ( SCO Angers / France), Simon Déli (Club Bruges / Belgium), Sinaly Diomandé (Olympique Lyonnais / France), Odilon Kossounou (Club Bruges / Belgium), Serge Aurier (Tottenham / England), Wilfried Kanon (Pyramids FC / Egypt), Ghislain Konan (Stade de Reims / France)

 : Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro (Lazio Rome / Italy), Maxwell Cornet (Olympique Lyonnais / France), Geoffroy Serey Die (FC Sion / Switzerland), Habib Maiga (FC Metz / France), Jean Michaël Seri (Fulham / England), Mohamed Doumbia (Dukla Pragues / Czech Republic), Franck Kessié (AC Milan / Italy)

 : Nicolas Pépé (Arsenal / England), Max-Alain Gradel (Sivasspor / Turkey), Gervinho (Parma / Italy), Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace / England), Christian Kouamé (Fiorentina / Italy), Juma Saeed (Kuwat SC / Kuwait), Lago Jun

ior (Mallorca / Spain), Jean Evrard Kouassi (Wuhan Zall / China).

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