Ghanaian men for Nigeria clash named

Black Stars head coach, Otto Addo, has named a 27-man squad to face Nigeria for the upcoming 2022 World Cup qualifying playoff against Nigeria.

The squad list was released by the Ghana FA yesterday after the team began its preparations on Monday at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Otto Addo has handed debut call ups to Belgium-based duo of Denis Odoi and Elisha Owusu, Montari Kamahene of Ashdod FC in Israel and Dennis Korsah of Hearts of Oak.

Italy-based Felix Afena-Gyan has also been named in the squad after he failed to make the team that represented Ghana in this year’s AFCON tournament in Cameroon.

Captain, Andre Ayew, misses out due to suspension while his brother, Jordan, has been named despite news suggesting he has tested positive for Covid-19.

He is expected to miss the first leg on March 29 but he will return for second leg on March 29.

Ghana and Nigeria will compete in the playoff for one of Africa’s spots in this year’s World Cup in Qatar.

Positivity

Meanwhile Technical Advisor to the team, Chris Hughton is confident the national team has what it takes to surmount the upcoming qualifying playoffs and wants Ghanaians to believe in the team’s abilities.

Chris Hughton, the Irish-Ghanaian coach who was named in the reconstituted technical team of the Black Stars, says Ghanaians must “remain calm and be positive about the team” ahead of Friday’s encounter in Kumasi.

In a recorded address, the 63-year-old Hughton – a former manager of Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest said the Black Stars had the “quality, desire and hunger to achieve the results” and it was their aim to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar and to make that dream a reality. This moment represents an opportunity to write history and we are all committed to it — for the players, technical staff, the Ghana Football Association and the government. We are Ghana and we are ready”.