Deputy Black Stars captain, Thomas Partey, will be returning to the national team after injury kept him away from international duties for some time now.
The 31-year-old Arsenal midfielder who has been instrumental in the national team’s campaign missed out on Coach Otto Addo’s squad in their last four Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign due to injury.
His absence contributed to the Black Stars failing to book qualification for the competition in Morocco later this year.
Aside from Partey, some key players, including Antoine Semenyo, Inaki Williams and Joseph Paintsil, also missed the Black Stars final (AFCON) qualifying match against Niger last year at the Accra Sports Stadium due to injury concerns.
However, determined not to miss the upcoming World Cup, Coach Otto Addo has recalled the Arsenal enforcer due to his magnificent form for his club this season alongside three local players.
The Ghana gaffer released his list of 23 players yesterday, which included Accra Hearts of Oak goalkeeper, Benjamin Asare, who replaced injured Abdul Manaf Nurudeen, Razak Simpson of Nations FC and Kamaradini Mamudu, who plays for Tarkwa-based Medeama SC.
Invited players
Among the invited players are Kamal Deen Sulemana of English Premier League side, Southampton, and Jerry Afriyie of CD Lugo. Sulemana has been phenomenal for his club after returning to full fitness from a lengthy injury layoff.
Afriyie on the other hand has retained his spot following his impressive performance in the match against Niger in November last year.
Christopher Bonsu Baah, who plays for Belgium side, Genk, has also received an invitation.
The rest of the players are goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi and Joseph Wollacott. The defenders are Gideon Mensah, Ebenezer Annan, Mohammed Salisu, Jerome Opoku, Alexander Djiku, Jonas Adjetey and Kingsley Schindler.
Coach Addo invited Partey, Elisha Owusu, Abu Francis, Kudus Mohammed and Ernest Nuamah as midfielders while the attackers are skipper Jordan Ayew, Semenyo, Kamal Deen Sulemana, Jerry Afriyie, Inaki Williams and Baah.
The team is expected to resume camping on Monday and train for four days before playing Chad at the Accra Sports Stadium on Friday.
The Black Stars will then travel to Morocco to face Madagascar in another Group I match on Monday, March 24, 2025.
Position
Ghana’s team are currently second in Group I with nine points from four matches after securing three wins and one defeat, levelling them with Comoros.
Despite assembling some of the best players for this duel, the Coach will still miss the services of 12 key players due to injuries.
Among them are Alidu Said, Tariq Lamptey, Brandon Thomas Asante, Abdul Mumin and Joseph Aidoo.
The rest are Abdul Manaf Nurudeen, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku, Baba Idrissu, Ibrahim Sulemana, Daniel Kofi Myers, Majeed Ashimeru and Joseph Paintsil.