Burkina Faso names AFCON 2017 team

Burkina Faso has named its final 23 man squad to represent the country during the African Cup of Nations that kicks off on January 14th.

Defenders Ernest Congo and Issoumaila Lengani were the players left out from the initial 25-man list announced by coach Paulo Duarte.

Burkina Faso is placed in Group A alongside hosts Gabon, Cameroon and Guinea-Bissau.

The west African nation has been training in Marrakech in Morocco and has lined up a friendly match with Mali on Saturday.

The Stallions will play its first match in the tournament against Cameroon on 14 January which will also be the opening day of the competition.

Burkina Faso was the runners up in 2013 when it made its maiden final in the tournament before losing to eventual winners Nigeria.

Here is the full squad:

Goalkeepers: Moussa Germain Sanou (Beauvais/FRA), Herve Koffi (ASEC Mimosas/CIV), Aboubacar Sawadogo (RC Kadiogo/BUR)

Defenders: Patrick Malo (Smouha/EGY), Issoufou Dayo (RC Berkane/MAR), Bakary Kone (Malaga/ESP), Issouf Paro (Santos/RSA), Steeve Yago (Toulouse/FRA), Souleymane Kouanda, (ASEC Mimosas/CIV), Yacouba Coulibaly (RC Bobo/BUR)

Midfielders: Charles Kabore (Krasnodar/RUS), Prejuce Nacoulma (Kayserispor/TUR), Alain Traore (Kayserispor/TUR), Bertrand Traore (Ajax/NED), Cyrille Bayala (Sheriff Tiraspol/MDA), Bakary Sare (Moreirense/POR), Blati Toure (Omonia/CYP), Adama Guira (Lens/FRA), Abdoul Razack Traore (Karabuspor/TUR), Jonathan Zongo (Almeria/ESP)

Strikers: Jonathan Pitroipa (Al Nasr/UAE), Aristide Bance (ASEC Mimosas/CIV), Banou Diawara (Smouha/EGY)