Guinea Bissau coach names his final AFCON squad
Guinea Bissau coach, Baciro Cande, announced his 24-man squad for Afcon 2021
Guinea Bissau coach on Thursday unveiled a 24-man squad that will be represent the country at Cameroon 2022. The list includes three experienced players who represented the Djurtus in Gabon 2017 and Egypt 2019.
Cande did the unusual by naming a 24-man squad, even though CAF allow player registration up to 28 players. The squad is a blend of both experienced and energy as it features Guinea-Bissau Veterans and future stars.
Guinea Bissau will need the experience of their most capped Player- Goalkeeper, Jonas Mendes with 50 caps, to have a successful Afcon campaign. Jonas plays for Beira Mar, Portugal.
Djassi Silva, Al Shoalah, Saudi Arabia with 32 caps, and Fredric Mendy, who plays for Vitoria Setubal in Portugal are the other experienced players in the Guinea-Bissau squad. Mendy has made 21 appearances for Guinea.
The trio represented the West African side in the last two Afcon editions where they failed to move past the group stage.
The squad also includes the future star of Guinea football, Moreto Cassama. He plays as a midfielder for Stade Reims in France.
Cande declared while unveiling the list that their aim in Cameroon is to qualify for the second round, for the first time in their history.
Their first appearance in Afcon was in 2017, Gabon after becoming a member of CAF in 1994. The Djurtus qualified again for Egypt, 2019, but they did not qualify to the next round in both occasions.
Guinea Bissau will need to pull a great performance against Nigeria, Sudan, and Egypt in Group D to fulfill their ambition in Cameroon.
Their first group stage game is against Sudan at Roumde, Adjia Stadium on January 11 before taking on Egypt on January 15. Their last group game is against Nigeria on January 19.
Guinea Bissau final Afcon 2021 Squad
Goalkeepers: Jonas Mendes (Beira Mar, Portugal), Maurice Gomis (Ayia Napa FC, Cyprus), Manuel Mama Samba Baldé (Vizela, Portugal)
Defenders: Eulanio Chipela Gomes (FC Porto, Portugal), Fali Candé (Portimonense, Portugal), Manconi Soriano Mané (Moreirense, Portugal), Ladislau Leonel Ucha Alves (Marihense, Portugal), Aurisio Saliu Junior (Vilafranquence, Portugal), Opa Sangatte (Chateauroux, France), Jefferson Encada (Leixoes, Portugal), Ferdinand Mendy (Alloa Athletic FC, Scotland).
Midfielders: Judilson Gomes (AS Monaco, France), Jorge Braima Candé Nougueira (Farense, Portugal), Jaoa Lamine Jaquité (Vilafranquence, Portugal), Moreto Cassama (Stade Reims, France), Alfa Semedo Esteves (Vitoria Guimaraes, Portugal) , Panutchi Pereira Camara (Plymouth Argyle, England)
Forwards: Mama Samba Baldé (Troyes, France), Piqueti Djassi Silva (Al Shoalah, Saudi Arabia), Jorge Barbosa Intima (Wisla Plock, Poland), Mauro Rodrigues Texeira (Sion, Switzerland), Joseph Mendes (Niort, France), Steve Brahim Omar Ambri (Sochaux, France), Frédéric Mendy (Vitoria Setubal, Portugal)
