Niger have named a final 23-man squad for the AFCON after they dropped three players including Asec Mimosas midfielder Mohammed Wonkoye.
The others are Idi Sabiou of Akokona and Ibrahim Benjamin, who is a midfielder with AS Garde Nationale.
Niger FA technical director Garba Lawali informed MTNFootball.com of the dropping of the three players.
ââ¬ÅWe are now flying to South Africa with our final 23-man squad for the Nations Cup,â⬠Lawali informed.
This means Nigerian-born defender Lucky James, who has yet to be capped by Niger could well make his international debut in South Africa. He was an unused substitute in Saturday's 3-1 win over Togo in an AFCON warm-up game in Niamey.
Skipper Moussa Maazou, who features for Tunisian club Etoile du Sahel, will therefore lead a squad of players who were also at the 2012 Nations Cup in Gabon.
These players include the experienced Issoufou Alhassane ââ¬ËDanteââ¬â¢, Daouda Kassaly, Mohammed Chicoto, Kofi Dankwa, Williams Nââ¬â¢Gonou, Issiakou Koudize and Issoufou Boubacar.
The full squad:
Goalkeepers: Daouda Kassaly (Chippa United/South Africa), Saminou Rabo (Sahel SC), Moussa Alzouma (AS Garde Nationale)
Defenders: Mohammed Chicoto (AS Marsa/Tunisia), Koffi Dankowa (Esperance Zarzis/Tunisia), Mohamed Soumaila (Olympic Niamey), Mohamed Bachar (AS Douane), Kourouma Fatogoma (Chabab/ Morocco), Lucky James (AS Douane), Ismael Alassane, Kader Amadou (Olympic Niamey)
Midfielders: Karim Konaté (without club), Idrissa Laouali (Mangasport/Gabon), Issiakou Koudizé (AS Garde Nationale), Babacar Talatou (AmaZulu/South Africa), Williams Nââ¬â¢Gonou (LB 07/Sweden), Souleymane Sakou (Olympic Niamey), Amadou Mountari (Le Mans/France), Issoufou Boubacar (without club)
Strikers: Moussa Maazou (Etoile du Sahel/Tunisia), Kamilou Daouda (JS Saoura/Algeria), Modibo Sidibé (without club), Issoufou Danté (Wydad Fès/Morocco)