Ghana’s U23 coach, Ibrahim Tanko, has confirmed that Ernest Nuamah will be joining the team for the upcoming 2023 U23 AFCON tournament.
However, players such as Kamaldeen Sulemana, Kwadwo Opoku, and Ranford-Yeboah Königsdörffer will not be able to join the squad.
Nuamah is expected to join the team in Rabat on Friday after making his debut for the senior national team of Ghana in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Madagascar.
Tanko emphasized the importance of focusing on the available players, stating, “For now I understand Ernest Nuamah is going to join us. The rest will not be able to join so we only have to concentrate on those who are here. We already know Ernest and we’ve played with him during the qualifiers so know he is coming to add some quality to the team.”
Despite the absence of some players, Tanko expressed optimism in the team’s abilities, assuring that they possess enough quality to compete in the tournament. He also expressed hope that all the players will be fit for the competition, emphasizing the significance of their physical condition.
Tanko further mentioned that while the other players were not part of the qualifiers, they were considered for their qualities. However, since they are not available, the team will focus on those who played in the qualifiers.
“The others were not with us during the qualifiers but we felt they had qualities that could help the team since they are not here we will concentrate on those we played the qualifiers with. We are 100 percent sure that the quality is enough. Let’s hope that we will have all players fit for the tournament.”
The confirmation of Nuamah’s availability brings stability and familiarity to the team, given his previous involvement in the qualifiers. With Tanko’s confidence in the existing players, the Ghana U23 squad will aim to maximize their collective abilities and strive for success in the 2023 U23 AFCON.
The team has already arrived in Morocco for the tournament, where they will face Congo, Morocco, and Guinea in the group stages.
Their campaign will kick off with a match against Congo on Saturday, June 24, followed by games against Morocco on Tuesday, June 27, and Guinea on Friday, June 30.
