The forgotten international out to shock World Cup heroes and get one over former Portsmouth, Chelsea and West Ham United boss

There’s been much made of Kusini Yengi’s Pompey departure for the Asian Cup this month.

Just as many web hits and column inches have been racked up over loan midfielder Alex Robertson’s surprising omission from the Socceroos squad in Qatar.

There’s been a lot less made of the other under-the-radar Blues player, however, who this month steps up to represent his country on the international stage.

That certainly shouldn’t be the case, however, given the man representing club and country is firmly one of our own. And Haji Mnoga has the chance to make some big reverberations when he steps out in the African Cup of Nations for Tanzania this month.

The Somerstown lad has departed from his loan stay in the National League with Aldershot, to link up with the Taifa Stars ahead of the competition in Ivory Coast which begins on January 13. And Adel Amrouche’s outsiders have a quick chance to make a huge impression when they take on World Cup semi-finallists Morocco in their opening Group F fixture on January 17.

Walid Regragui made history as his team became the first African nation to reach the last four in Qatar.

Mnoga will have the likes of Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech and Manchester United’s Sofyan Amrabat to deal with, when the action gets underway against the tournament favourites in San Pedro. That will not be unfamiliar territory, however, with the academy graduate playing Morocco in World Cup qualification in November - going down to an eventual 2-0 reverse.

Next up will be a familiar face for the former Trafalgar School pupil, as they take on Avram Grant’s Zambia in their second group fixture. 

That could bring Mnoga into direct contact with Leicester’s £23m striker Patson Daka, with things not getting any easier as they complete their group fixtures against Zambia.

Sebastian Desabre could afford to leave the likes of Luton midfielder Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu and Ipswich defender Axel Tuanzebe out of his Zambia squad.

There’s still a fair sprinkling of talent operating in England involved, however, along from players operating in Europe’s top leagues. Mnoga is set to face a Premier League success story this term in Brentford’s Yoane Wissa as well as Watford’s Edo Kayembe and West Brom attacking midfielder Grady Diangana.

Success will continue a decent season to date for the 21-year-old, who is out of contract this summer. Mnoga has picked up 25 appearances in the National League for Aldershot, who sit eighth in the table - three points off Solihull Moors in fourth.