Ghana Black StarsGhana Black Stars

Full house for Ghana as preparations intensify for Afcon 2019 qualifier against Ethiopia

Ghana finally have a full house as the team prepares for Sunday's Africa Cup of Nations qualifier away to Ethiopia following the arrival of England-based defender Andy Yiadom.

The Reading full-back joined camp in Kenya on Thursday morning, taking the number of players to 19.

Inter Milan midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah will not be reporting to the team after withdrawing from the squad due to a knee injury. He remains the only injury victim thus far.

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Ghana's preparations for the penultimate Group E fixture did not start well after the team missed two days of training - Monday and Tuesday - due to late arrival of players and the technical team.

The first training session came off on Wednesday, but still without four players. Columbus Crew duo Harrison Afful and Jonathan Mensah, Sporting Lisbon left-back Lumor Agbenyenu and Yiadom were the absentees.

The quartet were, however, present for Thursday's session, Afful, Mensah and Agbenyenu having arrived on Wednesday night.

St Gallen loanee Majeed Ashimeru, called up for the second time after a first invitation in 2017, is also in camp. The 21-year-old Red Bull Salzburg midfielder has been rewarded for his good form in the Swiss Super League, having made 13 appearances involving 11 starts and scored once.

The Ayew brothers, Andre and Jordan, are also back in the Black Stars for the first time since September 2017 when they allegedly irked Ghana coach James Kwesi Appiah by withdrawing from a 2018 Fifa World Cup qualifier away to Congo.

Ghana, currently third in Afcon qualifying Group F, are set to face second-placed Ethiopia at the Addis Ababa Stadium.

The four-time tournament champions are hoping to make their 22nd appearance at the continental showpiece. 
 

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