Jordan Ayew, Gyan to lead Black Stars’ attack against Super Eagles

By : Guardian Nigeria

Date: 23 March 2022 5:00am WAT

(FILES) In this file photo taken on January 29, 2017 Ghana's forward Andre Ayew celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final football match between DR Congo and Ghana in Oyem. - Ghana coach named Andre Ayew on May 24, 2019 as the new captain while the nation's football federation said former captain Asamoah Gyan had been made 'general captain' for the Africa Cup of Nations squad. (Photo by ISSOUF SANOGO / AFP)

Crystal Palace forward, Jordan Ayew and Roma of Italy’s youngster, Felix Afena Gyan, have been chosen to lead Ghana’s attack in the Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifier against Nigeria on Friday.

Ghana’s hopes rest on the combination of the duo following the absence of team captain, Andre Ayew, who is ineligible for the matches owing to the red card he got in the recently concluded Africa Cup of Nations finals held in Cameroun.

Nigeria and Ghana are battling for one of five tickets to represent Africa in Qatar in a two-legged encounter

Ghana interim coach, Otto Addo, only named his 27-man squad for the matches yesterday, a move some see as a psychological stunt, which may have no bearing on the tie.

There is the belief among Ghana’s football analysts that Joseph Wollacott will be in goal instead of returning former number one Richard Ofori, who missed the Africa Cup of Nations due to injury.

Daniel Amartey and Gideon Mensah will man the central defence, while stand-in captain, Thomas Partey, will lead the midfield flanked by Iddrisu Baba of RCD Mallorca and Ajax Amsterdam’s Mohammed Kudus.

The full Ghana team list has goalkeepers
Joseph Wollacott (Swindon Town -England), Abdul Manaf Nurudeen (KAS Eupen -Belgium), Lawrence Ati Zigi (St Gallen -Switzerland) and Richard Ofori (Orlando Pirates -South Africa).

The defenders are Denis Odoi (FC Brugge -Belgium), Andy Yiadom (Reading FC -England), Gideon Mensah (Bordeaux -France), Dennis Korsah (Hearts of Oak -Ghana), Montari Kamaheni (Ashdod FC -Israel), Daniel Amartey (Leicester City -England), Joseph Aidoo (Bordeaux -France), Alexander Djiku (Strasbourg -France) and Abdul Mumin (Victoria Guimaraes -Portugal).