Ghana coach Otto Addo has finally released a squad of 27 players to chase qualification to the 2022 Fifa World Cup against Nigeria.
The Black Starts battle sworn rivals the Super Eagles in back-to-back playoffs games over four days beginning Friday, March 25 at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi.
The squad is made up of 4 goalkeepers, 9 defenders, 6 midfielders, 5 wingers and 3 strikers.
Only 15 members of the squad that made Ghana’s unwanted 1-point record at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Cameroon were retained by the interim boss.
Newbies
There are four new faces who will be linking up with the senior national team squad for the very first time.
They include AS Roma sensation Felix Afena-Gyan who finally accepted his invitation after twice rejecting the chance.
33-year-old versatile Belgian-Ghanaian Denis Odoi arrives from Club Brugge alongside French-born Elisha Owusu from KAA Gent.
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Also earning his first senior call-up, Hearts of Oak left-back Dennis Nkrumah Korsah is the only player included from the Ghana Premier League.
Returnees
As many as eight players return after missing international assignments as recent as the Cameroon Afcon in January.
Chief among them is Ajax star Mohammed Kudus who was ruled out with a rib injury.
FC Bochum winger Christopher Antwi-Adjei is also in after his last and only time with the national team dating back to November 2019.
2022 WCQ Playoffs: Once-capped Antwi-Adjei returns to Black Stars squad for Nigeria games
One of the Black Stars deputy captains in fit-again goalkeeper Richard Ofori of Orlando Pirates fame, is back with the team likewise France-based Osman Bukari, Yaw Yeboah, Joseph Aidoo, Kwasi Okyere Wriedt and left-back Montari Kamaheni who earned a late call-up during the November batch of the qualifiers.
Yaw Yeboah, Joseph Aidoo joining up with Ghana squad after Afcon snub
The Black Stars host the Nigerians at 19:30GMT on Friday, March 25. The second leg comes off four days later in Abuja.
Check full squad:
Goalkeepers (4):
Joseph Wollacott (Swindon Town), Abdul Manaf Nurudeen (KAS Eupen), Lawrence Ati-Zigi (St Gallen), Richard Ofori (Orlando Pirates)
Defenders (9):
Denis Odoi (FC Brugge), Andy Yiadom (Reading FC), Gideon Mensah (Bordeaux), Dennis Korsah (Hearts of Oak), Montari Kamaheni (Ashdod FC), Daniel Amartey (Leicester City), Joseph Aidoo (Celta Vigo), Alexander Djiku (Strasbourg), Abdul Mumin (Vitoria Guimaraes)
Midfielders (6):
Iddrisu Baba (RCD Mallorca), Edmund Addo (FC Sheriff), Mohammed Kudus (Ajax), Elisha Owusu (KAA Gent), Thomas Partey (Arsenal), Daniel-Kofi Kyereh (FC St. Pauli)
Wingers (5):
Issahaku Abdul Fatawu (Sporting CP), Osman Bukari (FC Nantes), Joseph Paintsil (KRC Genk), Yaw Yeboah (Columbus Crew), Christopher Antwi-Adjei (VFL Bochum)
Strikers (3):
Felix Afena-Gyan (AS Roma), Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace), Kwasi Wriedt (Holstein Kiel)