CISSOKHO EARNS FRANCE CALL-UP
HIGHLY-RATED Aly Cissokho is one of two new faces in the France squad for the play-off against Republic of Ireland.
The Lyon full-back was set to join Milan in the summer but failed a medical so he instead switched from Porto to the deposed French champions.
It has helped put him across Raymond Domenech's radar and the defender joins Bordeaux keeper Cedric Carrasso in the 24-man squad.
Patrick Vieira, 33, has been omitted and will be unable to add to his collection of 107 caps but his former Arsenal team-mate Thierry Henry, now at Barcelona, is fit to take his place in the party.
Key midfielder Franck Ribery is still sidelined with a knee injury as Domenech prepares for a tough contest at Dublin's Croke Park and then the return leg in Paris.
Arsenal's Gael Clichy is also missing after being ruled out for a couple of months with a back problem, handing Cissokho his chance.
Full squad
Cedric Carrasso (Bordeaux), Hugo Lloris (Lyon), Steve Mandanda (Marseille); Eric Abidal (Barcelona), Aly Cissokho (Lyon), Julien Escude (Sevilla), Patrice Evra (Manchester United), Rod Fanni (Rennes), William Gallas, Bakary Sagna (both Arsenal), Sebastien Squillaci (Sevilla); Abou Diaby (Arsenal), Alou Diarra (Bordeaux), Lassana Diarra (Real Madrid), Yoann Gourcuff (Bordeaux), Florent Malouda (Chelsea), Moussa Sissoko (Toulouse), Jeremy Toulalan (Lyon); Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea), Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Andre-Pierre Gignac (Toulouse), Sidney Govou (Lyon), Thierry Henry (Barcelona), Loic Remy (Nice)
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