Ghana announce Uzbekistan friendly and name 20-man squad

The Ghana Football Association has announced its home-based Black Stars team will face Uzbekistan in an international friendly on March 25, going ahead to unveil a 20-man squad for the fixture.

The game will be played in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and will be played on the same day Ghana’s main senior ‘A’ team square off against South Africa in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, the GFA has revealed on its official website .

Ibrahim Tanko’s Team ‘B’ side will be without nine home-based players who have been named in the Ghana ‘A’ team for the Afcon qualifiers. Asante Kotoko duo of goalkeepers Razak Abalora and Danlad Ibrahim, Medeama’s Eric Ofori Antwi, Philemon Baffour and Joseph Esso of Dreams, Kotoko outfield duo Ismael Abdul Ganiyu and Kwame Opoku, Great Olympics playmaker Gladson Awako, and 2021 U20 Afcon Best Player, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku will be missing from the trip to Uzbekistan.

Tanko’s team includes Ghana Premier League top scorer Diawusie Taylor, and the trio of striker Percious Boah, attacker Daniel Afriyie Barnieh and left-back Samuel Ashie, who helped Ghana win the U20 Afcon,

Goalkeeper Richard Attah joins Barnieh as the two Hearts of Oak players on the list, while Kotoko contribute three men including Christopher Nakai Nettey, Imoro Ibrahim and Yussif Mubarik.

Former Kotoko midfielder and current Medeama star Justice Blay has been called up while there has also been a place for Vision FC goalkeeper William Essu, the only member playing club football below the elite division.

Ghana’s home-based side are trying to pick themselves up from the disappointment of having to watch the recent African Nations Championship in Cameroon from home.

Full squad:

Goalkeepers: Joseph Addo (Aduana Stars FC), Richard Atta (Hearts of Oak), William Essu (Vision FC)

Defenders: Christopher Nakai Nettey (Asante Kotoko), Imoro Ibrahim (Asante Kotoko), Yussif Mubarik (Asante Kotoko), Joseph Adjei (Legon Cities), Yiadom Konadu (Wafa), Dennis Korsah (Ebusua Dwarfs), Samuel Ashie (Great Olympics)

Midfielders: Justice Blay (Medeama SC), Moro Salifu (Bechem United), Rashid Nortey (Medeama SC), Michel Otou (Great Olympics), Maxwell Nii Abbey Quaye (Great Olympics), Agyenim Boateng (Dreams FC)

Strikers: Afriyie Barnieh (Hearts of Oak), Percious Boah (Dreams FC), Kwame Peprah (King Faisal), Diawusie Taylor (Karela United)