Afcon: Riyad Mahrez headlines Algeria squad while Ghoulam misses outThe wide man is the pick of the bunch in Djamel Belmadi’s final selection for the continental showpiece, and the Napoli defender is biggest omissionhave released their final squad for the upcoming , with star Riyad Mahrez the most distinguished selection in Djamel Belmadi’s 23-man squad, while ’s Faouzi Ghoulam is notably absent. Confirmed by the Algerian Football Federation, the wideman, who secured the Premier League, and with the Manchester giants, is joined by midfielder Sofiane Feghouli, who recently won the league and cup double in , as well as attacker Yacine Brahimi, as the Desert Foxes gear up for the biennial showpiece. The exclusion of Ghoulam is a consequence of the defender’s injury problems of late, and the left-back has ultimately failed to prove his fitness in time for the competition. Article continues belowThe North Africans were knocked out in the Group Stage two years ago in Gabon, and will strive to secure better results in . They have been drawn in Group C and will begin their journey against a Victor Wanyama-led side on June 23, before facing and on June 27 and July 1, respectively.

Source: The North Africa Journal May 30, 2019 14:26 UTC