The Kenya National football team, Harambee Stars, has on Thursday, March 21, 2019, jetted out to Accra ahead of their final AFCON Qualifying match against Ghana.

Despite having already qualified for the continental showpiece, the team will be looking to finish on a high in the West African country.



Coach Sébastien Migné has taken pressure off the players’ shoulders, noting that they will look to give a good account of themselves ahead of AFCON.

“We are not under pressure. Even if it were a crucial qualification match, we still would have taken it easy. This will be a chance for me to gauge the players ahead of AFCON,” said coach Migné.

Friendly: Ghana to host Mauritania in Accra

The match has been slated for Saturday, March 23, 2019. A three-week camp in France has also been lined up in May ahead of the continents premier competition.

Final Squad

Goalkeepers

Patrick Matasi, John Oyemba, Faruk Shikalo

Defenders

Joash Onyango, Musa Mohammed, David Owino, Bernard Ochieng, Brian Mandela, Philemon Otieno, Erick Ouma

Midfielders

Anthony Akumu, Ismael Gonzales, Victor Wanyama, Francis Kahata, Dennis Odhiambo, Johanna Omollo, Erick Johanna, Paul Were, Christopher Mbamba

Forwards

Masud Juma, Pistone Mutamba, Allan Wanga

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Antwerp defender Daniel Opare has been called up by Ghana Black Stars coach to replace injured Andrew Yiadom ahead of AFCON qualifiers game against Kenya this weekend.

Andrew Yiadom withdrew from the Ghana Black Stars squad due to injury. The Reading FC defender was injured in their last game against Stoke City.

Belgium based Daniel Opare has been called to replace Yiadom in the Black Stars squad.

Ghana Black Stars will begin training sessions on Tuesday evening as they prepare for the Kenya clash.

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The Black Stars of Ghana will begin camping today ahead of their final 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Kenya on March 23, 2019.

Both teams have already qualified for the tournament to be held in Egypt but the battle will be for who tops the group in this encounter.

Ghana will also be looking to avenge their 1-0 defeat to the Harambee Stars in Nairobi, Kenya in the first leg.

Twenty-four players have been invited by Kwesi Appiah to begin preparations for the game on Saturday. Three local players from Asante Kotoko make up the squad and they will join the team on Tuesday when they return from Zambia.

The other 21-foreign-based players are expected to join the team today and our check indicates that some of the players arrived in the country last night.



The game will come off at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The Sports Minister Isaac Asiamah, the National Sports Authority boss Patrick Twumasi and Head coach Kwesi Appiah were at the venue over the weekend to inspect the facilities and the readiness of the pitch for the crucial game.

Meanwhile, players of the national U-23 side the Black Meteors will also be in action on March 23 at the same venue.

The Black Meteors will take on Gabon in the U-23 AFCON qualifier. Coach Ibrahim Tanko has invited about 11 foreign-based players to augment his squad ahead of the clash.

The foreign-based players are also expected to join the team today from their various bases across Europe.



Below is the 24-man list of the Black Star players to begin camping today

Goalkeepers: Richard Ofori (Martizburg, South Africa) Lawrence Ati (Sochaux, France), Felix Annan (Asante Kotoko, Ghana)

Defenders: Kwadwo Asamoah (Inter Milan, Italy) Lumor Agbenyenu ( Göztepe S.K, Turkey) Andy Yiadom (Reading Football Club, England) Amos Frimpong (Asante Kotoko, Ghana) Nuhu Kassim (1899 Hoffenheim, Germany) Nicholas Opoku (Udinese, Italy) John Boye (Metz,France) Joseph Aidoo (Genk, Belgium)

Midfielders: Andre Ayew ( Fenerbahçe S.K, Turkey) Mubarak Wakaso (Alaves, Spain) Christian Atsu (Newcastle, England) Kwame Bonsu (Asante Kotoko, Ghana) Ernest Asante  ( Al Jazira, UAE) Thomas Partey (Atlético Madrid) Alhassan Wakaso ( Vitória S.C, Portugal) Jeffery Schlupp ( Crystal Palace, England), Alfred Duncan (Sassuolo, Italy)



Forward: Caleb Ansah Ekuban(Trabzonspor, Turkey) Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace) Emmanuel Boateng (Dalian Yifang, China)  Kwasi Appiah (AFC Wimbledon, UK)

 



credit: ghsoccernet

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Fenerbahce star Andre Ayew will captain Ghana Black Stars when they face Kenya in the final AFCON qualifier game in Accra on March 27th.

Andre Ayew will take the captain armband in the absence of Asamoah Gyan. Asamoah Gyan was left out by Kwesi Appiah due to lack of appearance for his Turkish club.

Andre Ayew is having a fine season with Fenerbahce, the midfielder has scored five goals in twenty-two appearances for his club.



Ghana will play Kenya as both teams will battle for the top spot position in the group.

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Black Stars coach Kwesi Appiah has named the squad to face Kenya for the last AFCON qualifier with five debutants in the lineup.

Joseph Aidoo of Genk, Ernest Asante of Al Jazira in the UAE, Kwame Bonsu and Amos Frimpong of Asante Kotoko, and Turkish based Caleb Ekuban are the debutants, they will look to impress Kwesi Appiah.



Ghana Squad:

Goalkeepers: Richard Ofori (Martizburg, South Africa), Lawrence Ati (Sochaux, France), Felix Annan (Asante Kotoko, Ghana)

Defenders: Kwadwo Asamoah (Inter Milan, Italy) Lumor Agbenyenu ( Göztepe S.K, Turkey) Andy Yiadom (Reading Football Club, England) Amos Frimpong (Asante Kotoko, Ghana) Nuhu Kassim (1899 Hoffenheim, Germany) Nicholas Opoku (Udinese, Italy) John Boye (Metz,France) Joseph Aidoo (Genk, Belgium)



Midfielders: Andre Ayew ( Fenerbahçe S.K, Turkey) Mubarak Wakaso (Alaves, Spain) Christian Atsu (Newcastle, England) Kwame Bonsu (Asante Kotoko, Ghana), Ernest Asante  ( Al Jazira, UAE), Thomas Partey (Atlético Madrid), Alhassan Wakaso ( Vitoria S.C, Portugal), Jeffery Schlupp ( Crystal Palace, England), Alfred Duncan (Sassuolo, Italy)



Strikers: Caleb Ansah Ekuban(Trabzonspor, Turkey) Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace) Emmanuel Boateng (Dalian Yifang, China)  Kwasi Appiah (AFC Wimbledon, UK)

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Gunmen attacked a bus transporting the Togolese national team to the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Angola, killing three people and wounding many others. The attackers fired at the vehicle when it crossed from the Republic of Congo into Angola’s oil-rich enclave of Cabinda. Rebels who were fighting for the independence of the region, later claimed responsibility.

Ghana qualify for AFCON 2019 after CAF disqualifies Sierra Leone

In an interview on the pan-African television channel, the Afrique Media on Monday night, Ahmad said Caf paid dearly for the Cabinda incident and “can’t take that risk again,” for Cameroon that is facing two major security threats; the Boko Haram insurgency in the north, and an armed separatist movement in the two English speaking regions.

Unanimously agreed

He said all 20 members of the Caf executive committee, who were present in Accra, Ghana on Friday, unanimously agreed that it was not possible to stage the 2019 tournament in Cameroon and asked the Central African country to continue preparations to host the 2021 edition because scheduled hosts, Cote d’Ivoire, would not be ready by then.

“We have seen that Cote d’Ivoire will not be ready to host Afcon in 2021. So the executive committee has confirmed Cameroon as host of 2021 …We have taken the decision for the good of African football on the basis of rules and regulations of the game in force,” Ahmad said, promising Caf could be ready to defend it’s decision should Cameroon petition the Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The Caf president denied reports that the withdrawal of the hosting rights from Cameroon was scores-settling with his predecessor Issa Hayatou, saying he has never personally criticised the management of the continental soccer body by the latter.

The entire world

“Even when journalists tried repeatedly to urge me to comment on his [Issa Hayatou] reign, I always avoided it and told them it was their role, not mine. It is not possible that withdrawing Caf 2019 from Cameroon implies I’m settling scores with my predecessor, a Cameroonian,” Ahmad stated.

The Cameroon government has said work on the infrastructure for the competition would continue at same pace, despite the “surprising decision” by the continental body. “This decision is unmerited considering the resolve of the Head of State and the people of Cameroon to make all-out effort to host a remarkable celebration of African football in 2019,” Communication minister and government spokesman Issa Tchiroma Bakary said.

“Cameroon has put in a creditable performance. It shall prove it to the entire world by completing with the same determination and on time the construction of these modern infrastructures belonging to the Cameroonian people, as pledged by the Head of State,” he promised.

Credit: theeastafrican.co.ke

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The post Ghana qualify for AFCON 2019 after CAF disqualifies Sierra Leone first appeared on Sahara Football.

The Black Satellites were not in action last month because of the postponement of the double header against Sierra Leone who were banned by FIFA.

In September, they lost 1-0 to Kenya in Nairobi and are now third in the Group on three points, four below leaders Kenya

Appiah has fortified his squad by recalling the Ayew brothers and Asamoah Gyan to boost his chances of returning ways.

Kwadwo Asamoah set to be handed Ghana captaincy for Kenya 2019 AFCON qualifier clash

“It’s important to get a win to make sure we qualify then everybody will relax,” coach Kwesi Appiah told Nation Sport after the session.

“All our players play abroad where they come fully prepared, knowing the situation, it’s psychologically important to let them know we are going out for a win on Sunday.

AFCON 2019 Qualifiers: What Ghana Needs To Do To Ensure Qualification

“Ghana has lot of players, it’s important you don’t rely on what you have only. You always make sure you have a backup, only four players here made the Kenya game.”

Ghana need 3 points to enhance their chances of qualification for the tournament in Cameroon next year.

Source: Ghsoccernet

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An own-goal by defender Nicholas Opoku helped the home side to the victory at the Kasarani Stadium.

Watch video of the goal below

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