OFFICIAL : Chris Hughton names Ghana squad for crucial AFCON qualifier against CAR !

Ghana head coach Chris Hughton has announced the Black Stars squad for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification match against Central African Republic.

The Match-Day Six encounter takes place at the Kumasi Babayara sports stadium on Thursday September 7th as the Ghana team is under pressure to win in order to qualify to the tournament finals to be staged in Ivory Coast early next year.

Hughton took over the Ghana job from Otto Addo following the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and in three qualifying games , the former Brighton and Holve Albion manager has recorded a win and two drawn games.

Hughton has named Medeama SC striker Jonathan Sowah in his 25-man squad for this month’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Central African Republic in Kumasi. The former Danbort FC forward who joined the champions in the second transfer window scored 12 goals to help them win the League title.

Also in the squad are Elisha Owusu and Baba Iddrisu who make a return to the squad after recovering from injuries. Baba Iddrisu missed the FIFA World Cup in Qatar while Elisha Owusu who picked up an injury in February, has yet to play for Ghana since the FIFA World Cup finals in November last year.

Another player who returns to the squad is South Africa based goalkeeper Richard Ofori who hasn’t played for Ghana since September 27, 2022 when Ghana beat Nicaragua 1-0 in a pre-World Cup friendly in Lorca, Spain.

Arsenal ace Thomas Partey is left out of the squad due to injury. According to his club, the player picked up an injury in training and could be on the sidelines for a while, however the Black Stars medical teams is monitoring the situation.

Ghana will host Central Africa Republic in their final Group E game at the Baba Yara Sports stadium on Thursday, September 7, 2023.

See the full Ghana squad below :

Goalkeepers

Lawrence Ati-Zigi, Abdul Manaf Nurudeen, Richard Ofori

Defenders

Alidu Seidu, Kingsley Schindler, Stephan Ambrosius, Joseph Aidoo, Alexander Djiku, Nicholas Opoku, Baba Abdul Rahman, Gideon Mensah

Midfielders

Abdul Samed Salis, Baba Iddissu, Andre Ayew, Elisha Owusu, Edmund Addo, Mohammed Kudus, Ransford Koningsdorffer

Forwards

Inaki Williams, Antoine Semenyo, Jordan Ayew, Ernest Nuamah, Osman Bukari, Joseph Painstil, Jonathan Sowah