Ghana have confirmed their 21-player squad for the 2019 Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Niger.
The Black Satellites roster, which was submitted in time to meet Caf’s January 22 deadline, is slightly dominated by home-based players numbering 11.
Ghana, thrice winners of the Championship (1993, 1999 and 2009), are making a return after missing the last edition, Zambia 2017.
In his squad, head coach Jimmy Corbblah also selected six members of the Ghana Under-17 team at the Afcon two years ago. They include goalkeeper Danlad Ibrahim; defender Gideon Mensah; midfielders Ibrahim Sadiq, Ibrahim Sulley, Mohammed Kudus and striker Emmanuel Toku.
However, their squad mates Gabriel Leveh and Najeeb Yakubu as well as Manchester City’s Amankwah Yeboah could not make the final cut.
Making a return to Niger in less than a year is defender Nathaniel Adjei. The 16-year-old was the deputy skipper of the Black Starlets squad which lost to Nigeria in the final of the Wafu Zone B qualifying tournament to the 2019 Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations held in September last year.
Ghana are housed in Group of the 2019 Under-20 Afcon scheduled for February 2 to 17. The Satellites kick off their campaign against Burkina Faso on February 3, take on Senegal three days later and compete the group games with Mali on February 9.
Head coach Corbblah, whose team is already in Nigerien capital Niamey acclimatizing the weather there, has said his main target for at tournament is a ticket to the Fifa World Cup in Poland later in the year. Africa will be represented by four teams.
GHANA SQUAD:
Goalkeepers (3):
Danlad Ibrahim (Asante Kotoko), Frederick Asare (Accra Lions), Abdul Manaf Nurudeen (K.A.S Eupen, Belgium)
Defenders (6):
Montari Kamaheni (Dreams FC), Gideon Mensah (FC Nordsjaelland, Denmark), Maxwell Arthur (Dreams FC), Fard Ibrahim (Vejle Boldklub, Denmark), Nathaniel Adjei (Danbort FC), Isahaku Kondah (Wa All Stars)
Midfielders (8):
Prosper Ahiabu (WAFA SC), Emmanuel Kumah (Tudu Mighty Jets), Enock Attah Agyei (Azam FC, Tanzania), Michael Baidoo (FC Frederica, Denmark), Frank Arhin (Ostersunds FK, Sweden), Ibrahim Sulley (Rising Stars), Saliw Babawo (FC Dynamo Brest, Belarus), Mohammed Kudus (FC Nordsjaelland, Denmark)
Forwards (4):
Daniel Lomotey (WAFA SC), Isaac Atanga (FC Nordsjaelland, Denmark), Emmanuel Toku (Cheetah FC), Ibrahim Sadiq (FC Nordsjaelland, Denmark)
