BELGIUM-BASED STRIKER MARIUS HEADLINES CHAD 30-MAN PROVISIONAL SQUAD FOR THE AFCON 2023 PRELIMINARY

Belgium-based 24-year old striker Marius Mouandilmadji Seraing headlined the 30-man provisional squad released by the head coach of the Sao of Chad, Mahamat Alkaline Abakar.

This unveiled roster came ahead of their preparation camp in Yaounde, Cameroon, which is also the venue of their first-leg preliminary round fixture of TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations 2023 against The Gambia.

The squad will seek to challenge the 2021 tournament’s quarter-finalist; the Scorpions of The Gambia consist of 17 players based out of Chad and 13 locals. The likes of Marius, who has scored twice in 28 appearances this season in the Belgian top-flight championship and Rodrigue Casimir Ninga of French Ligue 1 side SCO Angers are some of the notable inclusions.

Cotonsport’s 22-year old goalkeeper

Allambatnan Gabin, who is a regular in this season’s TotalEnergies CAF Confederation, is one of three goalkeepers included, alongside former Yong Sports Academy of Bamenda goalkeeper, Adoum Deffallah and Adaoussou Mathieu.

Abdelaziz Issa is among the eight defenders in the provisional squad for the big event against the Scorpions and familiar faces like Ahmat Abderamane Marc Hassan and Marvine Assan are all in the mix.

Experienced Youssouf Abanga is also part of the eight other midfield options in the squad, while ten forwards, include veterans Yaya Kerim and Ezechiel Aliadjim N’Douassel, who are on the books of local side Foullah Edifice and Indonesian club Bhayangkara Solo FC.

Former Gazelle of N’Djamena, Chad league top scorer in 2016 Marius Mouandilmadji and Casimir Ninga will also lead the Europe based contingents in the frontline of the Chadian attacking set up.

The Sao left N’Djamena on Sunday to Cameroon where they will intensify preparations at the Mundi Sports Complex ahead of their first-leg AFCON 2023 preliminaries scheduled on March 23 in Yaounde before heading to Agadir-Morocco for the return game six days later.

The winner of the doubleheader will advance to the group stages of the AFCON 2023 qualifiers scheduled to start in June, with 23 teams to join hosts Ivory Coast in the 24-nations tournament billed for June-July 2023.

Goalkeepers: Adoaussou Matthieu (Eding Sport,Cameroon); Allambatnan Gabin (Cotonsport FC, Cameroon); Adoum Oumar Deffalah (Electsport, Chad)

Defenders: Marvine Assan (UE Engondany, Andora); Ahmat Abderamane (Renaissance, Chad); Ninga Donane (Eding Sport, Cameroon); Abdelrazakh Abdallah (Al Haia, Bahrain); Nouri Mahamat (Vineuil FC, France); Abddlaziz Issa (Renaissance FC, Chad); Mbaïgolem Aubin (Foullah, Chad); Marc Hassan (Dragon Yaounde, Cameroon)

Midfielders: Djibrine Mahamat (Al-Djaine-Saudi Arabia); Moubarak Djibrine (AS DGSSIE, Chad); Guiguiban Loubandem (Gazelle, Chad); Aboubakar Alboury (Uson Mondville, France); Yves Allarabaye (Gazelle FC, Chad); Eric Mbangossoum ( Union Touanga Sport, Morocco); Mahamat Labbo ( Cholet SO, France); Youssouf Abanga (AS Coton, Chad); Bakhit Djibrine (Foullah, Chad)

Forwards:

Abdelaziz Makine (Gazelle FC, Chad); Adam Abakar (RFC, Chad); Hassan Brahim (Gasogi FC, Rwanda); Ezechiel N’douassel (Bayangkara Solo, Indonesia);Abdoulaye Yacoub (Ascot, Chad); Marius Mouandilmadji (Seraing, Belgium); Brahim Mahamat (Aviron Bagnone, France); Kerim Yaya (Foullah Edifice, Chad); Ninga Casimir (SCO Angers, France); Haroun Tchaouna (Dijon, France)