Mali have made two changes to their squad for the upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, with Sékou Koïta and Mamadou Doumbia called up to replace El Bilal Touré and Moussa Sylla.
The late changes come just days before Mali begin their qualifying campaign, with the West African side preparing to face Cape Verde on 25 September before travelling to Liberia four days later.
Touré and Sylla were both initially selected by head coach Anthony Da Silva but will no longer be available for the upcoming international fixtures.
Schalke 04 forward Moussa Sylla is currently in Europe because of family reasons and will therefore not join the Mali squad.
Parma FC player El Bilal Touré has also withdrawn, with personal reasons given for his absence.
Da Silva has responded to the two withdrawals by bringing in two forwards to strengthen his attacking options.
Sékou Koïta and Mamadou Doumbia have been drafted into the squad and will now join the preparations for the opening matches of Mali’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.
The changes come at an important point for the Malian national team, with the squad having to adjust shortly before competitive action begins.
Mali’s first qualifier will be against Cape Verde on 25 September, before the team faces Liberia away on 29 September.
The two replacements give Da Silva additional options in attack following the loss of two players who had originally been named in his squad.
The coach’s decision also ensures that the withdrawals of Touré and Sylla do not leave Mali without reinforcements in the attacking department ahead of the qualifiers.
For Koïta and Doumbia, the call-ups provide an opportunity to join the senior national team at the start of an important qualification campaign.
The pair will now have to quickly integrate into Da Silva’s plans as Mali prepare for two matches within four days.
The first challenge will be against Cape Verde on 25 September, before the Eagles travel to Liberia for their second qualifier on 29 September.
The withdrawals of Touré and Sylla were confirmed after both players had initially been included in Da Silva’s squad.
Sylla’s absence is linked to family reasons, while Touré has stepped away from international duty for personal reasons.
With little time before the qualifiers, Da Silva has acted by calling up Koïta and Doumbia.
The two forwards will therefore form part of Mali’s preparations as the Francophone West African nation begins its pursuit of qualification for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
The changes also underline the need for coaches to adapt quickly when players become unavailable close to international fixtures.
