4 Stars to make debut in Ghana vrs Canada friendly
Four debutantes will be in Coach Avram Grant’s 19-man squad as the Black Stars take on the Canuks of Canada tomorrow in an international friendly at the RFK stadium in Washington DC, USA.
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The Stars, who have already pitched camp in the USA since last week to prepare for the encounter, are said to be in high spirits despite the absence of captain Asamoah Gyan and his deputy, Andre Ayew, through injuries.
Like many national football teams, the Stars will be using the friendly as part of their preparations for the 2018 World Cup qualifier.
Those expected to make their debut for Ghana are USA-based midfield duo of Kwadwo Poku and Llyod Sam, Finland-based former Asante Kotoko defender, Gideon Baah, and Germany-based defender, Phil Ofosu-Ayeh.
Ghanaian midfielder, Alfred Duncan, who plies his trade in Italy with Sassuolo has also been given a second chance in the friendly.
But in a related development, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has described reports by the Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, Vincent Oppong Asamoah, that the Ministry was unaware of the Ghana-Canada friendly as false, stressing that the ministry was informed about the match last week Monday, October 5.
A letter signed by Mr Alex Asante, a deputy general secretary of the GFA informing the Ministry of Youth and Sports about the match said: “the Ghana Football Association extends its compliments. We wish to kindly inform the Ministry that the senior national team, the Black Stars, will play an international friendly match against the senior national team of Canada on Tuesday, October 13, 2015 in Washington DC”.
The letter, a copy of which was sighted by the Graphic Sports indicated that “Top Global Ltd, is the promoter of the match and all expenses are paid for by them”.
For a further proof that it had earlier notified the MOYS of the international friendly, the FA wondered why the Sports Minister, Dr Mustapha Ahmed, was already in the US capital for the match if he was unaware about it.
Black Stars list
Goalkeepers: Razak Braimah (Cordoba, Spain) and Fatau Dauda (AshGold)
Defenders: Harrison Afful (Columbus Crew, USA), (Phil Ofosu-Ayeh, Eintracht Braunschweig, Germany), Jeffery Schlupp (Leicester City, England), Gideon Baah (HJK Helsinki, Finland), John Boye (Sivasspor, Turkey), Edwin Gyimah (Orlando Pirates, South Africa),
Midfielders: Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu (Udinese, Italy), Afriyie Acquah (Torino, Italy), Mubarak Wakaso (Las Palmas, Spain), Lloyd Ekow Sam (New York Red Bulls, USA) Bernard Mensah (Getafe, Spain), Alfred Duncan (Sassuolo, Italy), and Kwadwo Poku (New York City FC, USA), Albert Adomah (Middlesbrough)
Strikers: Jordan Ayew (Aston Villa, England), Abdul Majeed Waris, (Lorient, France) and David Accam (Chicago Fire, USA)