• Azmoun, who plays for German club Bayer Leverkusen, tore a calf muscle in early October
Iran named Sardar Azmoun, their star player who has expressed support on several occasions for the demonstrations in Iran, in their final 25-man World Cup squad on Monday.
Azmoun, who plays for German club Bayer Leverkusen, tore a calf muscle in early October and faces a fight to be fit for Iran’s first match of the tournament against England in Qatar on November 21. The 27-year-old forward has posted several messages of support on social media for the anti-government protests in Iran that were sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.
Azmoun’s Instagram account, which has five million followers, was at one point blocked for several days before coming back online. Iran also face Wales on November 25 and the United States on November 29 in the group phase of the World Cup.
Ghana name uncapped pair
Kamal Sowah’s form for Club Brugge in the Champions League has won him a World Cup call-up for Ghana after the uncapped striker was yesterday included in the country’s squad for Qatar.
The 22-year-old was a surprise selection as coach Otto Addo named his 26-man squad for the tournament, where the Black Stars face Portugal, South Korea and Uruguay in Group H. Sowah has impressed as the Belgian club reached the last 16 of the Champions League, knocking out Atletico Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen in the process.
There was also a first call up for midfielder Salis Abdul Samed, 22, who has been a regular for Racing Lens this season as they have moved to second in the French Ligue 1 standings.
Former Spain international Inaki Williams and England under-21 international Tariq Lamptey, who threw in their lot with Ghana two months ago, were both included but Ghana failed to persuade England international Callum Hudson Odoi to switch his allegiance
Ghana have been forced to name three inexperienced goalkeepers after their first two choices - Jojo Wollacott from Charlton Athletic and South Africa-based Richard Ofori - were both injured in club action. The squad will be captained by Dede Ayew, who was part of the team that reached the quarter-finals in South Africa in 2010 - only the third time an African nation has reached the last eight of a World Cup.
Khazri, Msakni to lead Tunisia squad
Tunisia coach Jalel Kadri named his World Cup squad, with attackers Wahbi Khazri and Youssef Msakni leading the charge to reach the knock-out stages for the first time. The North African nation, which is preparing for its sixth ever World Cup, will face France, Denmark and Australia in Group D.
The 26-strong squad, named in a statement by the Tunisia Football Federation (FTF), features two stars of France’s Ligue 1 – Khazri of Montpellier and Montassar Talbi of FC Lorient – as well as Ali Abdi of Ligue 2’s Caen. Two other Ligue 1 players, Saif-Eddine Khaoui of Clermont and Yoann Touzghar of AC Ajaccio, have been dropped.
Squads
Iran
Goalkeepers: Amir Abedzadeh (Ponferradina/ESP), Alireza Beiranvand (Persepolis), Hossein Hosseini (Esteghlal), Payam Niazmand (Sepahan)
Defenders: Sadegh Moharrami (Dinamo Zagreb/CRO), Ehsan Hajsafi (AEK Athens/GRE), Shoja Khalilzadeh (Al Ahli/QAT), Milad Mohammadi (AEK Athens/GRE), Morteza Pouraliganji (Persepolis), Hossein Kanaani (Al Ahli/QAT), Majid Hosseini (Kayserispor/TUR), Ramin Rezaian (Sepahan), Abolfazl Jalali (Esteghlal)
Midfielders: Saeid Ezatolahi (Vejle BK/DEN), Saman Ghoddos (Brentford/ENG), Ahmad Nourollahi (Shabab Al Ahli/UAE), Roozbeh Chechmi (Esteghlal), Ali Karimi (Kayserispor/TUR)
Forwards: Alireza Jahanbakhsh (Feyenoord/NED), Mehdi Taremi (Porto/POR), Karim Ansarifard (Omonia Nicosia/CYP), Vahid Amiri (Persepolis), Mehdi Torabi (Persepolis), Ali Gholizadeh (Charleroi/BEL), Sardar Azmoun (Bayer Leverkusen/GER)
Coach: Carlos Queiroz (POR)
Ghana
Goalkeepers: Abdul Nurudeen (Eupen/BEL), Ibrahim Danlad (Asante Kotoko), Lawrence Ati Zigi (St Gallen/SUI)
Defenders: Denis Odoi (Bruges/BEL), Tariq Lamptey (Brighton/ENG), Alidu Seidu (Clermont/FRA), Daniel Amartey (Leicester/ENG), Joseph Aidoo (Celta Vigo/ESP), Alexander Djiku (Strasbourg/FRA), Mohammed Salisu (Southampton/ENG), Abdul Rahman Baba (Reading/ENG), Gideon Mensah (Auxerre/FRA)
Midfielders: Andre Ayew (Al Sadd/QAT), Thomas Partey (Arsenal/ENG), Elisha Owusu (Gent/BEL), Salis Abdul Samed (Lens/FRA), Mohammed Kudus (Ajax/NED), Daniel Kofi Kyereh (Freiburg/GER)
Forwards: Daniel Afriyie Barnieh (Hearts of Oak/GHA), Kamal Sowah (Club Brugge/BEL), Issahaku Abdul Fatawu (Sporting/POR), Osman Bukari (Red Star Belgrade/SRB), Inaki Williams (Athletic Bilbao/ESP), Antoine Semenyo (Bristol City/ENG), Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace/ENG), Kamaldeen Sulemana (Rennes/FRA).
Tunisia
Goalkeepers: Aymen Dahmen (Club Sportif Sfaxien), Mouez Hassan (Club Africain), Bechir Ben Said (US Monastir), Aymen Mathlouthi (Etoile du Sahel).
Defenders: Ali Abdi (Caen/FRA), Mohamed Drager (FC Luzern/SUI), Ali Maaloul (Al-Ahly/EGY), Wajdi Kechrida (Atromitos/GRE), Nader Ghandri (Club Africain), Yassine Meriah (Esperance), Bilel Ifa (Kuwait FC/KUW), Dylan Bronn (Salernitana/ITA), Montassar Talbi (Lorient/FRA).
Midfielders: Ellyes Skhiri (FC Cologne/GER), Ghaylen Chaalali (Esperance), Aissa Laidouni (Ferencvaros/HUN), Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane (Esperance), Ferjani Sassi (Al-Duhail/QAT), Hannibal Mejbri (Birmingham/ENG).
Forwards: Youssef Msakni (Al Arabi SC/QAT), Seifeddine Jaziri (Zamalek/EGY), Naim Sliti (Ettifaq/KSA), Issam Jebali (Odense Boldklub/DEN), Taha Yassine Khenissi (Kuwait SC/KUW), Anis Ben Slimane (Brondby/DEN), Wahbi Khazri (Montpellier/FRA).