Senegal drop defenders Mbow and Camara to finalise World Cup squad
Moustapha Mbow and Ilay Camara were cut from the preliminary roster on Monday after initially being included in the wider 28-man squad selection announced by Pape Thiaw on May 21.
Paris FC center half Mbow made his international debut on Sunday, playing the second half off the bench during Senegal's 3-2 friendly defeat against the United States in Charlotte.
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Belgian-born Anderlecht fullback Camara missed out on the final selection after remaining an unused substitute during Sunday's warm-up fixture, leaving him with three career caps for his country.
Al-Nassr star Sadio Mane will lead the star-studded African team, entering the tournament in fine form after scoring both of Senegal's goals during the friendly match against the United States.
The potent attacking unit features several elite European league stars, with Bayern Munich forward Nicolas Jackson, Everton's Iliman Ndiaye, and Crystal Palace winger Ismaila Sarr named to the squad. Bayern's 18-year-old midfielder Bara Ndiaye secured his roster place after making his senior international debut on Sunday, playing the full 90 minutes to impress the coaching staff.
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Senegal will open their Group I campaign against France on June 16 in New Jersey, evoking memories of their famous 2002 World Cup opening-day victory against the then-reigning champions. The African nation will complete their group stage fixtures later in the month, matching up against Norway in New Jersey on June 22 before traveling to Toronto to face Iraq on June 26.
