Head coach of Ghana’s Black Stars, Otto Addo, on Thursday, announced a 25-man squad for their upcoming matches in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers this month, Afrosport reports.
The four-time African champions are faced with crucial games against Angola and the Niger Republic, and Otto Addo has named a strong squad that includes three home-based players and a returnee, while the omission of Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey comes as a shock to many.
Addo has called upon in-form Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo, Athletic Club’s Inaki Williams and the Leicester City duo of Issahaku Abdul Fatawu and Jordan Ayew, as well as LA Galaxy forward Joseph Paintsil in his frontline.
West Ham United star Mohammed Kudus, Auxerre’s Elisha Owusu, and Ibrahim Sulemana of Atalanta also made the cut in midfield, while the some of the notable faces in defence include Fenerbahce centre-back Alexander Djiku, Auxerre left-back Gideon Mensah, and Brighton and Hove Albion full back Tariq Lamptey.
The star-studded list includes three goalkeepers: Lawrence Ati Zigi, Joseph Wollacott, and Abdul Nurudeen, who returns to the squad after over a year’s absence.
Meanwhile, the trio of Isaac Afful (FC Samartex 1996), Razak Simpson (Nations FC), and Emmanuel Antwi (Asante Kotoko), who have all impressed this season in the Ghana Premier League, also made the team.
🚨Our squad for the AFCON qualifiers against Angola & Niger! 📝
🆕 New addition: Emmanuel Antwi & Razak Simpson
🇬🇭 The #BlackStars will take on Angola at Estadio 11 de Novembro in Luanda on Friday, November 15, 2024.
Ghana will then face Niger at the Accra Sports Stadium on… pic.twitter.com/n520qvoESI
— 🇬🇭 Black Stars (@GhanaBlackstars) November 7, 2024
The Black Stars will face Angola’s Palancas Negras at the Estadio 11 de Novembro in Luanda on Friday, November 15, before hosting The Mena of Niger at Accra Sports Stadium three days later.
Ghana, however, are in a precarious situation as they currently sit third in Group F with two points, five behind second-placed Sudan and 10 behind leaders Angola.
2️⃣ crucial games ahead for the #BlackStars! 🇬🇭
We face Angola in Luanda on Friday, November 15, 2024, followed by a clash against Niger in Accra on Monday, November 18, 2024.#AFCON2025Q pic.twitter.com/UNr55Tb1i0
— 🇬🇭 Black Stars (@GhanaBlackstars) November 7, 2024
To qualify for next year’s AFCON finals in Morocco, they must win their two games in this month’s qualifiers and hope Sudan, who are also up against the same opponents, drops points in their final matches.
