Kolo Toure gets recall to World Cup squad

The 32-year-old Liverpool defender won the last of his 106 caps as a substitute in March before being dropped. However, he was named on Friday in a 24-man squad released by the Ivorian federation on its website www.fif-ci.com, for the first leg in Abidjan on October 12.

(Reuters)

He is joined in the team by midfielder Max Gradel, who has recovered from injury.

Coach Sabri Lamouchi had dropped Toure, Didier Drogba and Didier Zokora, all long time stalwarts in the team, at various stages over the year in his bid to freshen up an aging squad but they are now back for the tie against Senegal.

The return leg is on November 16 in Casablanca. The aggregate winner qualifies for next year's World Cup in Brazil.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Boubacar Barry (Lokeren), Abdoul Karim Cisse (Africa Sports), Sylvain Gbohouo (Sewe Sport)

Defenders: Jean Akpa Akpro, Serge Aurier (both Toulouse), Arthur Boka (VfB Stuttgart), Benjamin Brou Angoua (Valenciennes), Soulemanye Bamba (Trabzonspor), Viera Diarrassouba (Caykur Rizespor), Kolo Toure (Liverpool), Didier Zokora (Trabzonspor)

Midfielders: Serey Die (Basel), Jean-Jacques Gosso Gosso (Genclerbirligi), Max Gradel (St Etienne), Didier Ya Konan (Hanover 96), Romaric (Bastia), Ismael Tiote (Newcastle United), Yaya Toure (Manchester City)

Forwards: Wilfried Bony (Swansea City), Didier Drogba (Galatasaray), Gervinho (AS Roma), Salomon Kalou (Lille), Giovanni Sio (VfL Wolfsburg), Lacina Traore (Anzhi Makhachkala).

(Reporting by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town, editing by Pritha Sarkar)