Ghana’s Black Satellites ready to battle for U-20 Championship
By Own Correspondent with support from GFA – The Black Satellites, the reigning champions are housed in Group B alongside Cameroon, Nigeria and Gambia.The Black Satellites open their campaign against Nigeria on April 18 and then play against Gambia three days later before wrapping their campaign against Cameroon on April 24.
The semi-finalists of the championship will represent the continent at the FIFA U-20 World Cup scheduled for 29 July 96 20 August, 2011 in Colombia.Ghana’s Black Satellites have named the final 21-man squad for the African Youth Championship scheduled for South Africa from 17 April 96 1 May, 2011.
Striker Jordan Ayew was left out after French club Olympique Marseille blocked his release for the tournament, whilst France-based Kevin Osei was dropped for issues relating to his passport. Others also left out are Italian-duo Afriyie Acquah and Daniel Agyei of Palermo and Fiorentina.
Ghana’s coach Orlando Wellington unveiled his squad last Tuesday in Naivasha, Kenya, where the team is currently under-going a training camp ahead of the football fiesta .
Swedish-based striker Kwame Amponsah-Karikari was a surprise inclusion in the final squad, a reliable source of the Ghana Football Association revealed the list ahead of the tournament this month . Amponsah-Karikari, who plays for AIK was among eight foreign-based players named alongside top scorer of the qualifying round, Richmond Boakye Yiadom.
Full squad:
Goalkeepers: Adade Foli (Ebusua Dwarfs), Akwasi Acheampong (Liberty Professionals), Ibrahim Alhassan (Madina United)
Defenders: Rashid Sumaila (Ebusua Dwarfs), Adnan Saeed (Wa All Stars), Karim Alhassan (Hearts of Oak), Paul Aidoo (Berekum Chelsea), Richmond Nketiah (Nania FC), Samuel Kyere (Berekum Chelsea), Masawudu Alhassan (Genoa, Italy)
Midfielders: Albert Bruce (Asante Kotoko), Seidu Shaibu (Wa All Stars), Bright Addae (Terrassa FC, Spain), James Bissue (Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Israel), Enoch Ebo Andoh (Benfica, Portugal), Gershon Koffie (Vancouver Whitecaps, Canada), Ebenezer Otu (Berekum Chelsea)
Attackers: Richmond Boakye-Yiadom (Genoa, Italy) Kwame Amponsah-Karikari (AIK Fotboll, Sweden), Mahatma Otoo (Hearts of Oak), Kwame Nsor (Metz, France).
