GFA delivers Black Stars update ahead of Morocco and Cote d’Ivoire friendlies

Ghana will open camp for their upcoming double-header of friendlies against Morocco and Cote d’Ivoire on Friday.

According to a publication on the Ghana Football Association’s official website, the Black Stars will come together in Cape Coast, an unusual assembly point from their regular Accra base.

CK Akonnor’s outfit are set to play Morocco away in Rabat on June 8 and travel back home to host Cote d’Ivoire at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium four days later.

“The senior national team, the Black Stars will begin camping on Friday, May 28, 2021 at Cape Coast,” the publication read.

“The players and the technical team are expected to assemble to begin preparation towards the two International friendly matches that were announced a fortnight ago.

“The Black Stars will take on Atlas Lions on Tuesday, June 8 in Rabat, Morocco before playing Ivory Coast on Saturday, June 12 at the Cape Coast stadium.

“Coach Charles Kwablan Akonnor will use the test games to assess the strength of his squad ahead of the 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers in September.”

Leicester City defender Daniel Amartey, who has been called up for the first time since 2018, having put a run of injury setbacks behind him, has already touched down in Accra.

Akonnor’s squad also includes Nordjaellaend winger Kamaldeen Sulemana, who has become a subject of transfer speculation amid interest from Manchester United, Ajax, Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen, is also in the 30-man squad.

He is set to return for national duty after being snubbed for a double-header against Sudan last November and back-to-back games with South Africa and Sao Tome and Principe in March.

Seventeen-year-old starlet Abdul Fatawu Issahaku, another subject of transfer speculation after a move to Bayer Leverkusen fell through earlier this week, has been handed a second successive call-up.

Full squad

Goalkeepers: Richard Ofori (Orlando Pirates, South Africa), Razak Abalora (Asante Kotoko), Ibrahim Danlad (King Faisal)

Left-backs: Baba Abdul Rahman (PAOK, Greece), Gideon Mensah (Vitoria Guimaraes, Portugal)

Right-backs: Andy Yaidom (Reading FC, England), Philemon Baffour (Dreams FC)

Centre-backs: Alexander Djiku (Strasbourg FC, France), Daniel Amartey (Leicester City, Englad), Ismail Ganiyu (Asante Kotoko), Joseph Adjei (Legon Cities), Nicholas Opoku (Amiens FC, France)

Midfielders: Mubarak Wakaso (Shenzhen FC, China), Thomas Partey (Arsenal FC, England), Kudus Mohammed (Ajax Amsterdam, Netherlands), Rashid Nortey (Medeama SC), Abdul Fatawu Issahaku (Steadfast FC), Emmanuel Lomotey (Amiens SC, France), Gladson Awako (Great Olympics), Baba Idrissu (RCD Mallorca, Spain)

Left-wingers: Samuel Owusu (Al-Fayha FC, Saudi Arabia), Emmanuel Gyasi (Spezia, Italay), Frank Acheampong (Shenzhen FC, China), Tariqe Fosu Henry (Brentford FC, England)

Right-wingers: Kamal Sowah (OH Leuven, Belgium), Kamaldeen Sulemana (Nordsjaelland, Denmark)

Forwards Andre Ayew (Swansea City FC, Englad), Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace FC, England), Kwame Opoku (USM Alger, Algeria), Joseph Paintsil (Ankaragucu, Turkey)