Soccer-Zaha recalled to Ivory Coast squad for Africa Cup of Nations

Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha has been included in Ivory Coast's squad for next month's Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cameroon. Zaha has scored five goals in 16 appearances for Palace in the Premier League this season. Ivory Coast, winners in 1992 and 2015, will compete in Group E with Algeria, Sierra Leone and Equatorial Guinea at the tournament, which gets underway on Jan. 9.

Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha has been included in Ivory Coast's squad for next month's Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cameroon. The recall comes after coach Patrice Beaumelle did not pick the 29-year-old for World Cup qualifiers in November, saying Zaha had opted out https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-worldcup-civ-zaha-idUKKBN2HR033 and wanted to "reflect on the rest of his international career".

Zaha responded to Beaumelle's comments at the time by saying that representing his country was something he would "never, ever take for granted". Zaha has scored five goals in 16 appearances for Palace in the Premier League this season.

Ivory Coast, winners in 1992 and 2015, will compete in Group E with Algeria, Sierra Leone and Equatorial Guinea at the tournament, which gets underway on Jan. 9.

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