Kwesi Appiah casts net wide, names 30-man provisional squad

Coach James Kwesi Appiah has announced a 30-man squad ahead of Ghana’s 2019 African Cup of Nations [AFCON] qualifying match against Ethiopia as well as a friendly international match with the United States of America.

The Black Stars will play the AFCON qualifier on Sunday, June 11, 2017 at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi before embarking on a trip to the United States on June 25 to play a double header friendly international game with Mexico in Houston, Texas on June 28 and the USA in Connecticut on July 1.

Making the list for the first time is 1860 Munich defender Lumor Agbenyenu. The former Wassaman player [Lumor] earned 34 caps for Portimonense before joining the Bundesliga side where he featured in four matches, scoring one goal in the process.

Former Liberty Professionals defensive midfielder Isaac Sackey also made Kwesi Appiah’s list. Sackey [23] plays in the Turkish Super Lig for Alanyaspor.

Another player who has been handed a debut call up is IK Sirius midfielder Kingsley Sarfo.

The returnee coach [Kwesi Appiah] did not leave out local components in his squad as seven players from the local scene – Richard Ofori, Felix van Annan, Joseph Addo, Winful Cobbinah, Daniel Darkwah, Nicholas Opoku, and Samuel Sarfo, were all given call ups.

Another name worthy of note in Kwesi Appiah’s list is the forgotten Jerry Akaminko who suffered injury on the road to the 2014 FIFA World Cup tournament in Brazil.

Below is Kwesi Appiah’s 30-man provisional squad sheet:

Goalkeepers: Richard Ofori [Wa All Stars], Adam Larsen Kwarasey [Brondby, Denmark], Felix Annan [Kotoko], Joseph Addo [Aduana Stars].

Defenders: Harrison Afful [Columbus Crew, USA], Daniel Amartey [Leicester City, England], Lumor Agbenyenu [Munich 1860, Germany], Daniel Darkwah [Aduana Stars, Ghana], John Boye [Sivasspor, Turkey], Rashid Sumalia [Al Gharafa, Qatar], Nicholas Opoku [Berekum Chelsea, Ghana], Jonathan Mensah [Columbus Crew, USA], Jerry Akaminko [Eskiserhispor, Turkey], Samuel Sarfo [Liberty, Ghana].

Midfielders: Mohammed Abu [Columbus Crew, USA], Afriyie Acquah [Torino, Italy], Isaac Sackey [Alanyaspor, Turkey], Thomas Partey [Atletico Madrid, Spain], Ebenezer Ofori [Stuttgart, Germany], Kingsley Sarfo [Sirius, Sweden], Winful Cobbinah [Hearts of Oak], Yaw Yeboah [FC Twente, Holland], Godsway Donyoh [Nordjaelland, Denmark], Andre Ayew [West Ham, England], Frank Acheampong [Anderlecht, Belgium], Thomas Agyepong [NAC Breda, Holland].

Forwards: Asamoah Gyan [Al Alhi, UAE], Jordan Ayew [Swansea City, England], Abdul Majeed Waris [Lorient FC, France], Raphael Dwamena [FC Zurich, Switzerland].

The team is expected to begin camping in Accra on Monday, May 29, 2017.