Black Starlets arrive in Abu Dhabi for final World Cup preps

The Black Starlets of Ghana arrived in Abu Dhabi in the early hours of Thursday for the final lap of their preparations towards the Under-17 Fifa World Cup billed for India.

A squad of 25 players named by head coach Paa Kwasi Fabin made the trip to the UAE and have since checked into the Radisson Blu Hotel. They were led by Management Committee chairman and member of the Ghana FA Executive Committee, Kweku Eyiah.

According to Mr. Eyiah, the Black Starlets will use the camping opportunity to engage in at least two high profile friendlies with some countries who will also be participating at the World Cup.

Tentatively, the likes of Iran and New Zealand who are also camping in the UAE have been mentioned as the Black Starlets’ likely friendly opponents. Exactly a week from today, four players will be dropped for Ghana to submit her final 21-man squad for the World Cup. All participating countries have been given a September 21 deadline by Fifa.

Ghana, previous winners of the U-17 World Cup (on two occasions), are housed in Group A of the October 6-28 tournament alongside Colombia, the USA and hosts India.

Squad: 1. Ibrahim Danlad 2. Michael Acquaye 3. Kwame Aziz 4. Najeeb Yakubu 5. Gideon Mensah 6. Bismarck Terry Owusu 7. Edmund Arko-Mensah 8. Abdul Razak Yusif 9. Gideon Acquah 10. Rashid Alhassan 11. Isaac Gyamfi 12. Evans Sarfo 13. Emmanuel Antwi 14. Gabriel Leveh 15. Ibrahim Sulley 16. Mohammed Kudus 17. Isaac Antah 18. Emmanuel Toku 19. Mohammed Iddris 20. Eric Ayiah 21. Richard Danso 22. Mohammed Aminu 23. Ibrahim Sadiq 24. Rudolf Blagogee 25. John Otu