Kalou set for competitive bow
Chelsea striker Salomon Kalou has been selected in Ivory Coast's 18-man squad.
Chelsea striker Salomon Kalou has been selected in Ivory Coast's 18-man squad for their African Cup of Nations qualifier against Madagascar on 25th March.Kalou has not yet played a competitive international after failing in a bid to gain Dutch nationality prior to last summer's World Cup.
The 21-year-old eventually agreed to play his international football for the Ivorians and made his debut against Guinea last month.
He will now get his first taste of competitive action when Uli Stielike's side face Madagascar in Antananarivo.
Kalou is joined in Stielike's squad by Chelsea team-mate Didier Drogba and Premiership-based trio Abdoulaye Meite, Kolo Toure and Didier Zokora.
However, there is no place for his brother Bonaventure Kalou, while Arouna Kone and Emmanuel Eboue are both sidelined by injury.
Squad in full:
Boubacar Barry (Beveren), Gerard Gnanhouan (Creteil); Arthur Boka (Stuttgart), Mamadou Doumbia (Istres), Steve Gohouri (Borussia Monchengladbach), Abdoulaye Meite (Bolton), Kolo Toure (Arsenal); Kanga Akale (Auxerre), Christian Koffi Ndri (Le Mans), Siaka Tiene (Stade Reims), Yaya Toure (Monaco), Gilles Yapi Yapo (Young Boys Berne), Didier Zokora (Tottenham); Aruna Dindane (Lens), Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou (Chelsea), Abdelkader Keita (Lille), Bakary Kone (Nice).
