Ghana left out injured Premier League players Thomas Partey and Tariq Lamptey from their 27-man squad named on Monday for the African Cup of Nations finals in neighbouring Ivory Coast, which kicks off later this month.
Partey’s omission comes as Ghana coach Chris Hughton said he had been given more time to recover from a hamstring injury. “Withstanding his injury, he certainly would be in the squad. We know the quality of player that he is. This is a player that has a substantial injury,” Hughton told a press conference.
“I’ve spent a lot over this period of time with Thomas and also engaging with the medical staff at Arsenal. This is the biggest injury that he’s had. The most important thing for me as head coach and our association is to give him the support that he needs through this period of time.”
Lamptey was injured playing for Brighton & Hove Albion in November, after which manger Roberto de Zerbi said he would be out for a “significant period”.
Ghana have included Andre Ayew in the squad, which means he will play a record equalling eighth Cup of Nations tournament since his first appearance in 2008. He has competed at every tournament since save for the 2013 edition. Four-time winners Ghana compete in Group B at the Cup of Nations, starting with a match against the Cape Verde on Jan. 14 and then meeting Egypt and Mozambique.
SquadGoalkeepers: Lawrence Ati-Zigi (St Gallen), Richard Ofori (Orlando Pirates), Joe Wollacott (Hibernian)
Defenders: Daniel Amartey (Leicester City), Alexander Djiku (Fenerbahce), Abdul Fatawu Hamid (Medeama), Gideon Mensah (AJ Auxerre, France), Denis Odoi (Club Brugge), Nicholas Opoku (Amiens), Mohammed Salisu (Monaco), Kingsley Schindler (Samsunspor), Alidu Seidu (Clermont Foot, France)
Midfielders: Majeed Ashimeru (Anderlecht), Osman Bukari (Red Star Belgrade, Serbia), Baba Iddrisu (Almeria), Ransford Koningsdorffer (Hamburg SV), Mohammed Kudus (West Ham United), Richmond Lamptey (Asante Kotoko), Elisha Owusu (AJ Auxerre), Joseph Paintsil (Racing Genk), Salis Abdul Samed (Racing Lens, France)
Forwards: Andre Ayew (Le Havre), Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace, England), Ernest Nuamah (Olympique Lyonnais), Antoine Semenyo (Bournemouth), Jonathan Sowah (Medeama), Inaki Williams (Athletic Bilbao).
Nigeria eyeing fourth Africa Cup title: Coach
Coach Jose Peseiro has backed Nigeria to win a fourth Africa Cup of Nations, but conceded that it would be a real challenge when action gets under way in Ivory Coast later this month. The last of Nigeria’s three continental titles came 10 years ago in South Africa.
“We will fight to win the Africa Cup even though it won’t be easy,” Peseiro he said. “Our group is not easy because we are up against the Ivory Coast, who have a good squad and are playing at home. Equatorial Guinea reached the quarter-final at the last AFCON, better than Nigeria, while Guinea Bissau beat us at home (in the qualifiers). We have to be at our best in our trainings and in our matches.”
The Portuguese coach said that more than 70 players had been monitored as he whittled that number down for the final squad. “It was not easy to choose the 25 players,” he said. The Nigeria squad gathers in Abu Dhabi today for a training camp before flying out to Ivory Coast. They open their campaign on January 14 against Equatorial Guinea in Abidjan
