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Adam Kwarasey — Returns to the Stars
Adam Kwarasey — Returns to the Stars

Appiah picks new-look squad

Black Stars goalie, Adam Kwarasey, has been given another chance by new coach Kwasi Appiah after he fell out of favour in the midst of the confusion that rocked the Ghana team during the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

This opportunity is expected to afford Kwarasey and seven others picked from the Ghana Premier League (GPL), as well as four fairly new players the opportunity to justify their inclusion in the 30-man squad which will be preparing for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Ethiopia on June 11 at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi.

The team would also play Mexico and the United States in an international friendly on June 28 and July 1 in Houston, Texas and Connecticut respectively and so they are to gather in Accra next Monday to prepare for the matches against Ethiopia, Mexico and the USA.

 Kwarasey, like defenders Jerry Akaminko and Rashid Sumaila, are also rejoining the team. Akaminko has not been part of the team since his eleventh hour injury in a Black Stars-Netherlands friendly, which ruled him out of the Brazil 2014 World Cup. 

Similarly, Sumaila was also sidelined when ex-coach Avram Grant took over the team from December 2015 to February 2017. Although Kwarasey had a brief stint with the team after Brazil, he could not make it to the last AFCON in Gabon early this year. 

The seven players selected from the GPL are goalkeepers Felix Annan from Kotoko, Joseph Addo from Aduana Stars and Richard Ofori from Wa All Stars. The rest are Daniel Darkwah (Aduana Stars), Winful Cobbinah (Hearts), Samuel Sarfo (Liberty Professionals) and Nicholas Opoku (Berekum Arsenal).

Judging from the call-ups, it is likely coach Appiah will give the senior national team a new phase and direction as he has decided to leave out a number of old guards in his current call up. Some of the new additions are will Thomas Agyepong, Isaac Sackey, Kingsley Sarfo and Lumor Agbenyenu. Abdul Majeed Waris has also been named in the squad for the three games.

Below is the 30-man squad:

Goalkeepers

Richard Ofori (Wa Allstars), Adam Kwarasey (Brondby, Denmark), Felix Annan (Kotoko), Joseph Addo (Aduana Stars)

Defenders

Harrison Afful (Columbus Crew, USA), Daniel Amartey (Leicester City, England) Lumor Agbenyenu (Munich 1860, Germany), Daniel Darkwah (Aduana Stars, Ghana), John Boye (Sivasspor, Turkey), Rashid Sumalia (Al Gharafa, Qatar), Nicholas Opoku  (Berekum Chelsea, Ghana), Jonathan Mensah (Columbus Crew, USA), Jerry Akaminko (Eskiserhispor, Turkey), Samuel Sarfo (Liberty, Ghana)

Midfielders

Mohammed Abu (Columbus Crew, USA), Afriyie Acquah (Torino, Italy), Isaac Sackey (Alanyaspor, Turkey), Thomas Partey (Atletico Madrid, Spain), Ebenezer Ofori (Stuttgart, Germany), Kingsley Sarfo (Sirius, Sweden), Winful Cobbinah (Hearts of Oak), Yaw Yeboah (FC Twente, Holland), Godsway Donyoh (Nordjaelland, Denmark), Andre Ayew (West Ham, England), Frank Acheampong (Anderlecht, Belgium) and Thomas Agyepong (NAC Breda, Holland).

Attackers

Asamoah Gyan (Al Ahli, UAE), Jordan Ayew (Swansea City, England), Majeed Waris (Lorient FC, France) and Raphael Dwamena (FC Zurich, Switzerland).

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