Black Stars face uphill task as key players miss crucial qualifiers against Angola and Niger.
Antoine Semenyo, Inaki Williams, and Alexander Djiku are among eight players confirmed to be missing Ghana’s crucial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Angola and Niger this month.
Ghana’s hopes of qualifying for the tournament are slim, with the Black Stars needing victories over Angola and Niger, coupled with Sudan failing to secure points in their games against the same opponents.
However, their task has been made more difficult with the latest announcement by the Ghana Football Association confirming the withdrawals of eight players.
These players, originally named in the 25-man squad, will not honour their invitations for various reasons, including injuries and personal matters. As a result, coach Otto Addo will need to make last-minute replacements with the first match just days away.
The players unavailable for selection are:
Inaki Williams: Suffering from a hamstring injury sustained on November 7, preventing him from training.
Tariq Lamptey: Dealing with an aggravated calf discomfort, currently undergoing rehabilitation with his club.
Jonas Adjetey: Had a setback in his recovery during his club’s game on November 9.
Jerome Opoku: Struggling with chronic back pain, worsened during a Super Lig game against Besiktas on November 10. He is undergoing rehabilitation.
Antoine Semenyo: Nursing a patella tendon injury caused by an overload of games. His club medical team has referred him to a specialist to prevent further damage.
Alexander Djiku: Suffering from an aggravated hamstring injury, which led to his substitution on November 10.
Ibrahim Osman: Picked up a hamstring injury during his last club outing and was substituted at halftime.
Joseph Painstil: Withdrew due to personal reasons.
Ghana will face Angola on November 15 and Niger three days later in Accra. The team’s qualification for the 2025 AFCON now depends on a near-miraculous turnaround. If they fail to qualify, it would mark the first time Ghana miss out on an AFCON appearance since 2004.
