Andre Ayew dropped as Otto Addo names Black Stars squad for Mali, CAR matches

Black Stars captain Andre Ayew is the biggest omission from the squad, although Thomas Partey and Abdul Fatawu Issahaku have been included.

Otto Addo’s side will travel to Bamako to face Mali in a World Cup qualifying game on June 6 before hosting CAR at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi four days later.

Having picked up one win from their opening two qualifying matches, the Black Stars are desperate to get their qualification hopes back on track as they currently occupy the fourth position in Group I.

Ghana’s squad, however, has Lawrence Ati-Zigi, Jojo Wollacott and Asante Kotoko’s Frederick Asare as goalkeepers.

Tariq Lamptey, Gideon Mensah, Alidu Seidu, Alexander Djiku, Mohammed Salisu and Jerome Opoku are also part of the defensive options, but Baba Rahman has once again been left out.

In midfield, Arsenal star Partey leads Otto Addo’s picks, with Mohammed Kudus, Abdul Salis Samed and Abu Francis also there.

Jordan Ayew also makes the squad and is joined by Antoine Semenyo, Osman Bukari, Kamaldeen Sulemana and Brandon Thomas-Asante in the attack.

Meanwhile, some players have also been left out of the squad due to injuries, including Baba Iddrisu, Inaki Williams and Majeed Ashimeru.

The others are Joseph Paintsil, Nathaniel Adjei, Denis Odoi, Daniel Amartey, Daniel-Kofi Kyereh and Joseph Aidoo.

Otto Addo qualified Ghana for the Qatar 2022 World Cup during his first spell but has had a tough start to his second stint after failing to win any of the friendly matches against Nigeria and Uganda in March.

See Ghana’s full 26-man squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Mali and CAR: