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Ghana’s new coach, Otto Addo, has said that he omitted Arsenal midfielder, Thomas Partey, from the Black Stars’ team that will meet the Super Eagles in a friendly match on March 24 because “he asked to be excused from the game to gain full fitness following recent injuries.”
Injury kept Partey out of Ghana’s team to the Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire, where the Black Stars were knocked out in the first round.
Partey has played just 41 minutes since August after a spate of muscle injuries. He made his long-awaited return to action for Arsenal against Sheffield United earlier this month, before being used as a late substitute in the Gunners’ 2-1 win against Brentford. He was also part of Arsenal’s matchday squad in the Champions League victory over Porto on penalties.
After missing nearly four months of football, Arsenal have understandably been keen to manage his return to action carefully. This is particularly the case given that Partey suffered a setback on his road to recovery after initially returning to training in January.
In Addo’s 27-man team for the game billed to hold in Morocco are debutants, Bolivia-based David Akologo, Nordsjaellands’ Ibrahim Osman, France-based Nathaniel Adjei, and Diomande Mohammed of Rangers of Scotland.
The other debutant in the squad is Asante Kotoko’s Frederick Asare. Brighton and Hove Albion right-back Tariq Lamptey is back in the squad after recovering from an injury that ruled him out of the Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire, just as left back, Patrick Kpozo, winger Abdul Fatawu Issahaku, and midfielder Edmund Addo, who have also made a return to the team.
Captain Andre Ayew, forward Jordan Ayew, Mohammed Kudus, Osman Bukari, Samed Abdul Samed, and Elisha Owusu have been named in the squad.
After Ghana’s game against Nigeria on March 22, they will face Uganda four days later.
