AfCON 2012 : Mali call Diarra back

There will finally be a fifth Rennes player at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations. After the attacking midfielder Mahamane Traoré (Metz) had to leave the group because of an injury, Mali national coach Alain Giresse decided to call Cheick Fantamady Diarra.

Diarra was orginally included in a 27-man squad before being left out by Giresse after the first camp. Back in Brittany, he played twenty minutes against Nice, last Saturday in the Coupe de France.
Already plagued by injuries (this is the third forfeit since the 23-man squad was announced), Mali is yet to play its first game in the tournament. This opening game is planned for next Wednesday against Guinea (20:00). Mali is included in Group D, alongside John Boye’s Ghana and Bostwana.

This call-up is bad news for Frédéric Antonetti, who sees another attacking option removed. The Rennes manager is already without Hadji and Pitroipa, both at the AfCON, and Boukari suffering with a thigh injury.