Ghana head coach, Otto Addo has named a strong 27-man squad to face Nigeria in the 2022 World Cup play-off tie against rivals Nigeria.
The squad is made up of 27 players – four goalkeepers, nine defenders, six midfielders, four wide players and four strikers.
The list is without as many as twelve players, who featured for Ghana at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, where Ghana suffered a shocking group stage exit.
Captain Andre Ayew and striker Benjamin Tetteh have both not been included after they received red cards in Ghana’s last group game against Comoros and are suspended for the Nigeria tie.
The three Ghana Premier League players who made the AFCON squad – Richard Attah (Hearts of Oak), Maxwell Abbey Quaye (Great Olympics) and Sandan Abagna David (RTU) have also been dropped.
There’s also no place in the squad for Columbus Crew captain Jonathan Mensah, while experienced midfielder Mubarak Wakaso has also been snubbed.
Left back Baba Rahman (injured) and enterprising winger Kamaldeen Sulemana (injured) also miss out due to injury.
Winger Samuel Owusu, right back Philemon Baffour, whose inclusion in the AFCON squad caused outrage, are both left out this time.
FULL LIST:
- Samuel Owusu – Al Feiha
- Baba Rahman – Reading
- Kamaldeen Sulemana
- Maxwell Abbey Quaye – Great Olympics
- David Abagna Sandan – RTU
- Richmond Boakye-Yiadom – Beitar Jerusalem
- Andre Ayew – Al Sadd
- Benjamin Tetteh – Yeni Malatyaspor
- Richard Attah – Hearts of Oak
- Wakaso Mubarak – Shenzhen F.C
- Philimon Baffour – Rio Ave
- Jonathan Mensah – Columbus Crew
Ghana will play the first leg in Kumasi on Friday 25th March, 2022 in Kumasi with the return leg to be hosted in Abuja four days later.
The winner over two legs will book one of Africa’s five slots for the 2022 World Cup to be hosted in Qatar at the end of the year.