Striker Songnè Yacouba has been left out of the Asante Kotoko squad that is travelling to Tunisia for Sunday’s 2019/20 Caf Champions League group stage ticket decider against Etoile Sportive du Sahel.
The Burkina Faso international recently returned from injury and featured in the second half of the first-leg clash which the Porcupine Warriors won 2-0 in Kumasi.
But Yacouba has lost his replace for returning Guinean Keita Naby in Kotoko’s 18-man squad set to leave Accra for Monastir Thursday. Keita missed the first leg due to suspension.
Head coach Kjetil Zachariassen, Footy-Ghana.com has established, opted to leave Yacouba for tactical reasons and concerns over his fitness level. The striker was faulted for failing to perform defensive duties during the first leg.
Etoile du Sahel will host Kotoko at Stade du Mustapha Ben Jennat on Sunday, September 29. Kickoff is at 17:00 GMT.
The winner on aggregate secures a place in the Champions League group stage while the loser drops to the Confederation Cup competition.
Kotoko will jet out of Accra Thursday morning with 18 players, five technical men and two medics plus a journalist.
Kotoko’s 18-man squad:
Goalkeepers (2):
Felix Annan, Osei Kwame
Defenders (5):
Empem Dacosta, Evans Owusu, Habib Mohammed, Emmanuel Agyemang Badu, Patrick Yeboah
Midfielders (8):
Justice Blay. Jordan Opoku, Augustine Okrah, Alexis Didi Arnaud, Samuel Frimpong, Godfred Asiamah, Kelvin Andoh, Emmanuel Gyamfi
Strikers (3):
Richard Arthur, George Abege, Keita Naby
