By: Omar Jatta
Mauritania’s French Coach, Corentin Martins says his team needs to apply caution in their approach when they take on the Scorpions of The Gambia in Nouakchott on Friday, 25th March.
The 46 year old Corentin, flanked by his assistant Moustapha Sall was speaking to the Mauritanian press at the headquarters of the Mauritanian Football Federation (FFRIM ), after unveiling his 24 man team.
Coach Martins said he is confident ahead of the tie and fully trust his stars, but that did not stop him to ask for caution against the Gambian opponents, after watching the Scorpions held South Africa at bay on their own turf and almost pull off another surprise results against Cameroon but in the end got beaten by the smallest of margins, 1-0.
This is according to him “shows the dynamics of team, whom he described as quick and vigorous in play and also knows how to defend well.”
The French Coach named a strong squad full of foreign based players, but has not included the experience former Al Ahly and Zamalek forward, Dominique Da Silva citing he has many other attacking options in the team. He was also forced to defend his reason for not including Auxerre’s Mauritanian attacking midfielder Adama Ba, with rumours the two are not on good terms.
But Corentins dismissed those claims, stressing there is no problem between him and the player. He said “Ba wants to focus on his club career.” Adding he respects that thus, according to him, no sanctions will be taken against him, but stressed that one should not refuse his national team.
The Frenchman also added two new additions to the team, calling FC Gobelins goalkeeper of Sikhou Sylla, formerly of Mantes-la-Jolie (France) and Hamza Ould Jawar (SM Caen France). Two former local International, Abu Yacoub Denne and Sy were not called this time the team.
Here’s the list of Mourabitounes who will face Gambia
GOALKEEPERS:
Boubacar Salahdine (FC Tevragh-Zein)
Brahim Souleymane (ACS Ksar)
Sikhou Sylla (FC Gobellins / France)
DEFENDERS:
Oumar Ndiaye (FC Mantois / France)
Abdoul Ba (RC Lens / France)
Bakary Ndiaye (FC Tevragh-Zeina)
Ali Abeid (Levante UD / Spain)
El Moustapha Diaw (Fanja SC / Oman)
Mamadou Wade (FC Nouadhhibou)
Hamza Ould Jawar (SM Caen / France)
MIDFIELDERS:
Moussa Sidi Bakayogho (ASAC Concorde)
Yall Mohamed Dellahi (FC Tevragh-Zein)
Diallo Guidilèye (AS Nancy / France)
Khassa Camara (Skoda Xanti / Greece)
Taghyoullah Denne (FC Tevragh-Zein)
El Hacen El Ide (Levante UD / Spain )
Abdoulaye Gaye SilEye (FC Tevragh-zein)
Moussa Samba Abdallahi (FC Tevragh-zein)
FORWARDS:
Ismaël Diakité (Al Nahda / Saudi Arabia)
Sheikh El Khalil Moulaye Ahmed (CS Constantine / Algeria)
Mamadou NDiacko Nias (FC Nouadhibou)
Babacar Salem Baguili (ACS Ksar)
Abdallahi Soudani (Stade Tunisien / Tunisia)
Moctar Sidi Salem (ASAC Concorde)
