Tunisia announced final squad

Tunisia national team coach Sami Trabelsi has announced his squad for the 2012 African Cup of Nations.

Revealed at the Carthage Eagles Hotel in Dubai on Wednesday, domestic-based defender Walid Hicheri (Esperance), defensive midfielder Hatten Baratli (CA Bizertin) and attacking midfielder Iheb Msakni (Stade Tunisien) were cut from the 26-man provisional roster.

Msakni’s younger brother Youssef, of Esperance, was selected.

As expected, all-time leading scorer Issam Jemaa was included in the final roster, despite only just returning to light training from a hamstring injury he aggravated during the team’s Spain-based training camp.

Trabelsi was originally set to announce his 23-man list on Tuesday, but delayed it in order to give the struggling Auxerre striker a chance to test his knock.

Majdi Traoui was also included despite having to pull out of practice on Tuesday, complaining of pain stemming from an injury he sustained during Tunisia’s 3-0 friendly win over Sudan on Friday.

Tunisia’s staff were quick to reassure journalists that removing him from training was simply a cautionary measure, and that the Esperance midfielder would be ready for the continental showpiece.

Tunisia share Group C with co-hosts Gabon, Niger, and Morocco, and begin their tournament against the latter on January 23.

Full squad: Moez Ben Cherifia (Esperance), Rami Jeridi (Stade Tunisien), Aymen Mathlouthi (Etoile); Aymen Abdennour (Toulouse), Anis Boussaidi (FC Rostov), Khalil Chammam (Esperance), Karim Haggui (Hannover), Bilel Ifa (Club Africain), Ammar Jemal (Cologne); Wissem Ben Yahia (Mersin), Adel Chedly (Etoile), Yassine Chikhaoui (Zurich), Oussama Darragi (Esperance), Zouhaier Dhaouadi (Club Africain), Khaled Korbi (Esperance), Youssef Msakni (Esperance), Houcine Ragued (Karabukspor), Jamel Saihi (Montpellier), Majdi Traoui (Esperance); Sami Allagui (Mainz), Amine Chermiti (Zurich), Issam Jemaa (Auxerre), Saber Khelifa (Evian).