Algeria names AFCON 2017 team

Algeria has named its 23-man squad for the African Nations Cup finals in Gabon with midfielder Sofiane Feghouli the surprise omission.

The Desert Foxes also left out Carl Medjani, who has been a consistent choice since his debut in 2010.

Feghouli had featured in just seven league games for his club West Ham United this season and had been subject of speculation over a move back to France.

Despite a poor start to the 2018 World Cup qualification campaign, Algeria is one of the pre-tournament favourites.

The team has been placed in a tough group B which includes Tunisia, Senegal and Zimbabwe.

The north African side has lined up two friendlies matches against Mauritania next week before heading to the tournament.

Algeria will begin its campaign against Zimbabwe on 15 January.

Full squad:

Goalkeepers: Rais Ouhab M’bolhi (Antalyaspor, Turkey), Malik Asselah (JS Kabylie, Algeria), Chemseddine Rahmani (MO Bejaia, Algeria)

Defenders: Mokhtar Belkhiter (Club Africain ,Tunisia), Mohamed Rabie Meftah (USM Alger, Algeria), Aissa Mandi (Real Betis, Spain), Hicham Belkaroui (Esperance, Tunisia), Liassine Cadamuro (Servette Geneva, Switzerland) , Mohamed Benyahia (USM Alger, Algeria), Ramy Bensebaïni (Stade Rennes, France), Faouzi Ghoulam (Napoli, Italy), Djamel Eddine Mesbah (FC Crotone ,Italy)

Midfielders: Adlène Guedioura (Watford, England), Saphir Taïder (Bologna, Italy), Nabil Bentaleb (Schalke 04, Germany), Mehdi Abeid (Dijon, France), Yassin Brahimi (FC Porto, Portugal), Rachid Ghezzal (Olympique Lyon, France)

Forwards: Islam Slimani (Leicester City, England), Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City, England), Hilal Soudani El Arabi (Dinamo Zagreb, Croatia), Baghdad Bounedjah (Al Sadd, Qatar), Sofiane Hanni (Anderlecht, Belgium)