Air miles for Didi

Striker Didier Ya Konan have the longest distance to travel. Ya Konan, whose last contribution for Hannover was a twenty-five yarder against Dortmund at the weekend, is in the Ivory Coast squad to face Guinea in the Ivorian capital of Abidjan. Karim Haggui and Sofian Chahed have also made the Tunisia squad for the friendly in Peru.

Cherundolo’s Italian job

Club captain Steven Cherundolo will feature for Jürgen Klinsmann’s USA team when they take on Italy in Genoa, while his defensive colleague Emanuel Pogatetz has been called into the Austria team to face Finland in Klagenfurt. And striker Mohammed Moa Abdellaoue is set to feature for Norway when they take on Northern Ireland in Belfast. All games are due to be played on Wednesday 29th February.

Ron-Robert Zieler, who played received his first call-up to the Germany senior squad late last year and made his first  appearance in the 3-3 draw with Ukraine, has not been selected for the friendly with France in Bremen tomorrow. National team manager Joachim Löw has opted to take just two goalkeepers – Manuel Neuer of Bayern München and Tim Wiese of Werder Bremen.

96 duo in Austria U21 squad

Zieler’s understudy Samuel Radlinger has been called into the Austria U21 squad for their match against Switzerland, as has Daniel Royer. And finally Ali Gökdemir will travel with Azerbaijan’s U21 team for their match against Iceland in Baku.

Diouf withdraws from Senegal squad

Mame Biram Diouf had been named in the Senegal squad to face South Africa in Durban tomorrow night, but has since pulled out of the friendly game. The ex-Manchester United forward cited travel distance and possible fatigue as his reason for withdrawing. Artur Sobiech will also miss Poland#s U21 friendly with Bulgaria due to a thigh injury.