The Ghanaian national team has faced a significant setback ahead of their upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Angola and Niger.
Eight players have withdrawn from the squad for various reasons, leaving the team short-handed for these crucial matches. The affected players include; Inaki Williams, Tariq Lamptey, Jonas Adjetey, Jerome Opoku, Antoine Semenyo, Alexander Djiku, Ibrahim Osman, and Joseph Painstil.
Inaki Williams, one of the team’s standout players, is sidelined due to a hamstring injury sustained during a Europa League match against Ludogorets. Despite efforts to recover, he has been unable to return in time for the important qualifiers.
Tariq Lamptey is also out of action due to worsening calf discomfort that developed last week. He is currently undergoing rehabilitation with his club and will not be available for selection.
Jonas Adjetey had recently recovered from an injury but suffered a setback during FC Basel’s last league game against Yverdon-Sport. The severity of his current injury is still unclear, but it will keep him out of the qualifiers.
Jerome Opoku is dealing with chronic back pain that intensified during a recent match against Besiktas on November 10. He is undergoing rehabilitation with his club and will miss the national team call-up.
Antoine Semenyo is nursing a patella tendon injury resulting from an overload of games. His club’s medical team has opted to refer him to a tendon specialist during this break to avoid further complications.
Alexander Djiku is facing an aggravation of a pre-existing hamstring injury that forced him to be substituted in his last match on November 10, making him unavailable for selection.
Ibrahim Osman picked up a hamstring injury during his last outing for his club, leading to his substitution at half-time. He will also miss the qualifiers as he focuses on recovery.
Finally, Joseph Painstil has also withdrawn from the squad due to injury concerns, further depleting the team’s options for the upcoming matches.
The Black Stars will play Angola at Estadio 11 de Novembro in Luanda on Friday, November 15, 2024, and then face Niger at the Accra Sports Stadium on Monday, November 18, 2024.
Ghana will need to win both games, while also hoping for Sudan to stumble in order to qualify for the AFCON to be played in Morocco next year.
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