Kamaldeen Sulemana and Ransford-Yeboah Königsdörffer, both part of Ghana’s national football team, the Black Stars, have withdrawn from the Black Meteors squad for the upcoming 2023 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The tournament serves as an opportunity for Ghana to secure a spot at the Olympic Games in Paris next year by finishing among the top three teams.
Initially, the forwards were included in Ibrahim Tanko’s provisional 29-man squad for the tournament. However, they have decided against participating, along with another player, Ernest Nuamah. The trio was expected to join the Black Meteors after their involvement in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) match against Madagascar on June 18.
Kamaldeen played 62 minutes in the game against Madagascar before being substituted by Nuamah, while Ransford-Yeboah did not feature at all. The two players have reportedly shown little interest in representing the Black Meteors at the tournament.
Additionally, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) failed to persuade their respective clubs to release them for the competition, which is not sanctioned by FIFA.
On the other hand, Nuamah had previously played a crucial role in the qualifiers with the team, providing assists in both legs against Algeria. He successfully convinced his club, Nordsjaelland, to allow him to participate in the upcoming tournament.
With the withdrawal of Kamaldeen and Ransford-Yeboah, the Black Meteors’ head coach, Ibrahim Tanko, now has a pool of 27 players from which he will select his final squad. Nuamah is expected to join the rest of the team in Morocco before the start of the competition.
In preparation for the tournament, the Black Meteors will engage in a friendly match against Egyptian side Zamalek SC on June 20. The team is currently concluding their training camp in Morocco, where they will compete in Group A alongside the hosts, Morocco, Guinea, and DR Congo. The tournament is set to commence on June 24.
Source – myjoyonline.com
