Portsmouth have received a boost after Mali left Djimi Traore out of their African Nations Cup squad.

Traore has not represented his country for the last year, and was omitted from the side after he went on holiday rather than play for the country in two African Cup of Nations qualifiers in June.

The 27-year-old's exclusion will come as a boost to Pompey manager Harry Redknapp, who is already set to lose Sulley Muntari (Ghana), Nwankwo Kanu and John Utaka (Nigeria) and Papa Bouba Diop (Senegal) for up to a month.