Senegal drop defenders Mbow, Camara to finalise World Cup squad

June 2 : Senegal coach Pape Thiaw dropped defenders Moustapha Mbow and Ilay Camara from his preliminary squad to finalise his 26-man line-up for the World Cup by FIFA's deadline on Monday. 

Paris FC centre half Mbow and Belgian-born Anderlecht fullback Camara, who has won three caps, were named in Thiaw's 28-man wider squad on May 21. 

Mbow won his first cap when he played the second half off the bench in the 3-2 friendly loss to the United States in Charlotte on Sunday, while Camara was an unused substitute.

Sadio Mane, who scored both of Senegal's goals against the U.S., remains a leading player for a star-studded Senegal squad that looks to be the most potent of the 10 African qualifiers for the finals.

The 34-year-old Al-Nassr player will lead the line but also selected are Bayern Munich forward Nicolas Jackson plus Everton's Iliman Ndiaye and Crystal Palace winger Ismaila Sarr.

Bayern's 18-year-old midfielder Bara Ndiaye also made his international debut on Sunday, playing the entire 90 minutes and doing enough to retain his place in the squad.       

Senegal open their World Cup campaign against France on June 16 in New Jersey in a repeat of their 2002 World Cup meeting in which the African side came out on top against the then-holders. 

They also take on Norway at the same venue (June 22) and Iraq in Toronto (June 26) in Group I matches.

Squad: 

Goalkeepers: Edouard Mendy, Mory Diaw, Yehvann Diouf

Defenders: Krepin Diatta, Antoine Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly, El Hadji Malick Diouf, Mamadou Sarr, Moussa Niakhate, Abdoulaye Seck, Ismail Jakobs

Midfielders: Idrissa Gana Gueye, Pape Gueye, Lamine Camara, Habib Diarra, Pathe Ciss, Pape Matar Sarr, Bara Sapoko Ndiaye

Forwards: Sadio Mane, Ismaila Sarr, Iliman Ndiaye, Assane Diao,