LIBREVILLE (Reuters) – Arsenal’s Algerian midfielder Ismaeil Bennacer has been called up to play in the African Nations Cup finals after a knee injury ruled Saipher Taider out of the tournament, the country’s football federation said on Friday.
The 19-year-old Bennacer won his first cap for Algeria last year in Nations Cup qualification and is yet to make a league debut for the Gunners.
Bologna midfielder Taider, 24, hurt his knee in training earlier this week.
Defender Ramy Bensebaini is recovering from a knee injury suffered in Algeria’s warm-up win over Mauritania on Tuesday, the federation added.
Algeria play their opening Group B match in Franceville on Sunday against Zimbabwe.
(Reporting by Mark Gleeson; Editing by Amlan Chakraborty)
