Senegal name strong Africa Cup of Nations squad

Newcastle's Ba scored his 14th league goal of the season against Bolton

Senegal have named a strong final 23-man squad for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations dominated by strikers, including English Premier League second highest scorer Demba Ba.

Last season's top scorer in the French top-flight Moussa Sow and Freiburg's main marksman Papiss Demba Cisse are also included.

The Teranga Lions attacking options are further boosted by the inclusion of striker Dame N'Doye, voted the best player in Denmark this year.

Former France youth international Armand Traore, who recently switched nationality to play for the Teranga Lions, is in line for his first appearance in a continental tournament.

Just six players who played for Senegal in their last appearance in Africa's flagship tournament in 2008 remain in the team.

Goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul, defenders Bayal Sall, Souleymane Diawara, Guirane Ndaw, Pape Malickou Diakhate and striker Mamadou Niang were all part of the squad in Ghana that bombed out in the first round.

But coach Traore has built a new squad dominated by a young generation of players who helped the country to qualify by edging past giants Cameroon to qualify.

Among some of players going to the tournament in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea is Ba, who has scored 14 goals so far this season for Newcastle United.

N'Doye, whose 25 goals in 31 matches for FC Copenhagen helped them to win the Danish title, is among the seven strikers chosen by the coach for the tournament.

Despite the squad including five specialist midfielders coach Traore insists the squad is multitalented.

"It is a balanced list because of the versatility amongst the players," Traore said.

"In the Nations Cup its 16 or 18 players who are going to be used."

Senegal are in Group A of the tournament, alongside co-hosts Equatorial Guinea, Zambia and Libya.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Khadim Ndiaye (ASC Linguere), Bouna Coundoul (New York Red Bulls, USA), Pape Latyr Ndiaye (Ouakam)

Defenders: Kader Mangane (Rennes, France), Souleymane Diawara (Marseille, France), Lamine Sané (Bordeaux, France), Jacques Faty (Sivasspor, Turkey), Moustapha Bayal Sall (St Etienne, France), Pape Malickou Diakhaté (Granada, Spain), Cheikh Mbengue (Toulouse, France), Armand Traoré (QPR, England), Omar Daf (Brest, France)

Midfielders: Rémi Gomis (Valenciennes, France) , Mouhamed Diamé ( Wigan, England), Guirane N'Daw (Birmingham City, England), Ndiaye Dème Ndiaye (Arles-Avignon, France)

Forward: Issiar Dia ( Fenerbahce, Turkey), Moussa Sow (Lille, France), Papiss Demba Cissé (Freiburg, Germany), Souleymane Camara (Montpelier, France), Mamadou Niang (Al Sadd, Qatar), Demba Ba (Newcastle United, England), Dame N'Doye (FC Copenhagen, Denmark).