Columbus Crew SC full back Harrison Afful has made his way back into the senior national team, the Black Stars 23-man squad to face South Africa and Sao Tome and Principe in the 2021 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
Harrison who has had four AFCON experiences with the Black Stars has been handed another opportunity by head coach James Kwesi Appiah in the double header qualifiers in Cape Coast and Sao Tome and Principe respectively after years of absence.
Coach Appiah has also given an opportunity to debutants Torric Jibril, Shafiu Mumuni, Iddrisu Baba, Mohammed Salisu and Christopher Antwi Adjei to fight for slots in the November 14 and 18, 2019 qualifiers in Ghana and Sao Tome and Principe.
The Ayew brothers of Andre Ayew and Jordan Ayew as well as Mubarak Wakaso, Thomas Partey, Richard Ofori, Felix Annan and Andy Yiadom, who were all in the Black Stars squad that featured in the 2019 AFCON tournament in Egypt maintained their slots as young forward Emmanuel Boateng also makes a come back into the team after missing out on the AFCON list.
The Black Stars, who are in Group C together with South Africa, Sao Tome and Principe and Sudan in the qualifiers are expected to begin training in Cape Coast from Monday, November 11, with have the following players invited:
Goalkeepers: Richard Ofori (Maritzburg FC, South Africa), Felix Annan (Asante Kotoko, Ghana), Razak Abalora (Azam FC, Tanzania).
Defenders: Andy Yiadom (Reading, England), Harrison Afful (Columbus Crew, USA), Lumor Agbenyenu (Real Mallorca, Spain), Joseph Aidoo (Celta Vigo, Spain), Kassim Nuhu (Fortuna Dusseldorf, Germany), Nicholas Opoku (Udinese, Italy), Mohammed Salisu (Real Valladolid, Spain).
Midfielders: Samuel Owusu (Al Fahya, Saudi Arabia), Thomas Partey (Atletico Madrid, Spain), Alfred Duncan (Sassuolo, Italy), Mubarak Wakaso (Deportivo Alaves, Spain), Iddrisu Baba (Real Mallorca, Spain), Christopher Antwi-Adjei (SC Paderborn, Germany).
Forward: Andre Ayew (Swansea, England), Mohammed Kudus (FC Nordsjaelland, Denmark), Emmanuel Boateng (Dalian Yifang, China), Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace, England), Torric Jibril (TP Mazembe, DR Congo), Shafiu Mumuni (Ashantigold).
