Watford’s Sarr belatedly arrives at Cup of Nations

YAOUNDE : Ismaila Sarr arrived in Cameroon on Tuesday to join up with his Senegal team mates and possibly play in the closing stages of the Africa Cup of Nations after recovering from a knee injury, the Senegal Football Federation said.

Sarr had been a surprise selection in the squad for the tournament in Cameroon after suffering a knee injury playing for Watford against Manchester United in November.

Watford were reluctant to let him go to the tournament, insisting he was not able to play.

Yet Senegal forced his release after complaining to FIFA and eventually the club and Senegal agreed a rehabilitation programme for Sarr, which he has been following over the last weeks in Spain.

The 23-year-old could yet feature for Senegal after they reached the quarter-finals by beating the Cape Verde Islands 2-0 in Bafoussam on Tuesday.

They will now face either Equatorial Guinea or Mali in the last eight on Sunday.

(Writing by Mark Gleeson; Editing by Toby Davis)