Black Stars Head Coach C. K Akonnor on Thursday 18th March, 2021, announced a 29-man squad for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against South Africa and Sao Tome and Principe.
The squad had 19-year old Colchester United midfielder Kwame Afriyie Poku in it. However, an investigation conducted by SportsworldGhana.com reveals that the youngster wasn’t invited by the former Ghana captain as part of his squad for the qualifiers.
Our outfit understands that, Poku would be drafted to the Black Stars B team for the international friendly against Uzbekistan on the 25th of March, 2020 after Charles Akonnor insisted that the England-based attacking midfielder won’t be part of his team since he did not invite him.
In the squad are Stephen Ambrosius of Hamburger SV in Germany, Kamal Sowah of OH Leuven in Belgium, Kwasi Okyere Wriedt of Willem II in Holland, Osman Bukari of Gent and Emmanuel Gyasi of Spezia FC in Italy.
Coach Akonnor who has been training with home-based players in Accra for the past four weeks has settled on Nine of those players for the two crucial games.
Akonnor also included six Ghana Premier League players namely Gladson Awako, Joseph Esso, Ismael Ganiyu, Razak Abalora, Eric Ofori Antwi and Kwame Opoku in the squad.
Black Satellites trio, Danlad Ibrahim, Philemon Baffuor and Abdul Fatawu Issahaku have also been named in the squad for the two games.
Ghana will take on South Africa on March 25 in Johannesburg before engaging Sao Tome and Principe on March 29, 2021 at the Accra Sports stadium.
The Black Stars sit at the top of Group C with 9 points and are in search of one of the tickets to the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.
Below is the squad:
Goalkeepers: Richard Ofori (Orlando Pirates – South Africa), Razak Abalora (Asante Kotoko – Ghana), Eric Ofori Antwi (Medeama SC – Ghana), Danlad Ibrahim (Asante Kotoko- Ghana)
Full Backs: Baba Abdul Rahman (PAOK – Greece), Gideon Mensah (Vitória de Guimarães – Portugal), Benson Annan (MLK Zilina – Slovakia), Philemon Baffuor (Dreams FC – Ghana)
Central Defenders:
Nicholas Opoku (Amiens SC – France), Kasim Nuhu (1899 Hoffenheim – Germany), Ganiyu Ismael (Asante Kotoko – Ghana), Stephen Ambrosius (Hamburger SV – Germany)
Central Midfield:
Kudus Mohammed (Ajax Amsterdam – Holland), Mubarak Wakaso (Jiangsu Suning F.C – China), Afriyie Acquah (Yeni Malatyaspor – Turkey), Emmanuel Lomotey (Amiens SC – France), Iddrisu Baba (RCD Mallorca – Spain), Gladson Awako (Great Olympics -Ghana), Kwame Afriyie Poku (Colchester United – England)
Left Attacking Midfield:
Osman Bukari (Gent – Belgium), Joseph Esso (Dreams FC- Ghana)
Right Attacking Midfield:
Kamal Sowah (OH Leuven- Belgium), Fatawu Issahaku (Steadfast FC – Ghana)
Attackers:
Emmanuel Boateng (Dalian Professional- China), Emmanuel Gyasi (Spezia – Italy), Kwame Opoku (Asante Kotoko – Ghana), John Antwi (Pyramids FC – Egypt), Kwasi Okyere Wriedt (Willem II – Holland), Caleb Ekuban (Trabzonspor – Turkey)
