Six out of the twenty-one players invited for Ghana’s international friendlies against Japan and Iceland began the team’s preparations for the games at the Legon Presbyterian Senior High School Park on Tuesday.
The technical handlers of the Black Stars had Rashid Sumaila, Nicholas Opoku, Emmanuel Boateng, Afriyie Acquah, Lawrence Ati-Zigi and Nana Ampomah as the available members of the squad but for coach Kwasi Appiah, that did not discourage him from moving on with his practice.
The six players were taken through a number of physical drills by second assistant coach Maxwell Konadu while goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi also spent time with trainer Richard Kingson.
First deputy gaffer Ibrahim Tanko then took over began ball work with the five players before his boss Kwasi Appiah, team coordinator Stephen Appiah and Konadu joined in a drill which ended Tuesday morning’s training session which lasted for an hour.
Spain-based midfielder Mubarak Wakaso, who is part of the 21-man squad arrived late and unprepared to take part in the training for the day.
The Deportivo Alaves gem, who is expected to join his colleagues Wednesday, spent some time chatting with the coaches and players after the exercise.
Explaining the reason why the Black Stars had few players at training today to reporters, Kwasi Appiah asserted that some league are still ongoing.
“Some of the players have not ended their season – like those in Switzerland especially. Hopefully, they should finish this coming weekend. The plan is for them to meet us in Amsterdam then we continue.”
“With those coming to Ghana, we would have about 9 or 10 of them but we thought it is important we train with those who will be here instead of allowing them to sit idle,” the former Al Khartoum gaffer concluded.
Ghana will face 2018 World Cup-bound Japan at the Nissan Stadium in Yokohama on May 30 and play as visitors to Iceland at their 15,000 capacity Laugardasvollur Stadium in Rejavik on June 7.
Check photos of the training below:
Ghana's Black Stars held their first training session in Accra ahead of double header friendlies against Japan and Iceland scheduled for May 30 and June 7 respectively.
Posted by Footy-Ghana.com on Tuesday, May 22, 2018
