Ghana’s Black Stars have been dealt a major blow ahead of their Asian tour, with six key players withdrawing from the squad due to recent injuries.
The affected players are Alexander Djiku, Thomas Partey, Jordan Ayew, Fatawu Issahaku, Joseph Paintsil, and Mohammed Kudus.
To fill the gaps, coach Otto Addo has handed call-ups to new faces, including Prince Owusu (CF Montreal), Kelvin Nkrumah (Medeama), and Czech-based striker Prince Kwabena Adu. These friendlies will allow Addo to assess his options ahead of Ghana’s fifth World Cup appearance.
Ghana will face Japan in the Kirin Challenge Cup on Friday, November 14, at Toyota Stadium in Aichi, before taking on South Korea on Tuesday, November 18.
The GFA Communications Director, Henry Asante Twum, hinted that Addo is likely to maintain the core of the team, focusing on team bonding and consistency. Fresh faces are expected to be considered, but sweeping alterations are unlikely.