Ghana includes 3 uncapped players

Posted Thursday, August 25, 2011 by YAHOO Sport

ACCRA, Ghana (AP)—Ghana coach Goran Stevanovic included uncapped trio Adam Kwarasey, Rabiu Mohammed and Albert Adomah in his squad for the penultimate round of qualifiers in the African Cup of Nations.

Stevanovic named Kwarasey, a goalkeeper with Norway’s Stromgodest, France-based midfielder Rabiu and Adomah of England’s Bristol City in Wednesday’s 23-man selection for the Group I match with Swaziland on Sept. 2 and a friendly international against Brazil in London on Sept. 5.

Kwarasey and Adomah were expected to make their debuts against Nigeria in Watford this month but that match was canceled because of rioting in nearby London.

They will get another chance at a first cap when unbeaten Ghana—which shares top spot in its African qualifying group with Sudan—faces winless Swaziland in Accra.

Kwarasey was born in Norway but opted to play for his father’s home country. Leicester’s John Paintsil, Lyon’s John Mensah, Inter Milan midfielder Sulley Muntari and strikers Asamoah Gyan of Sunderland and Prince Tagoe of Hoffenheim were all picked.

Chelsea’s Michael Essien was unavailable through injury after undergoing surgery to repair ligament damage in his right knee sustained in preseason training, ruling him out for up to six months.

It is the third serious knee injury for the 28-year-old Essien and puts him in doubt for the 2012 Cup of Nations, which starts in late January. He was also ruled out of last year’s World Cup and left the 2010 Cup of Nations early—both because of knee problems.

Essien played his first game for Ghana in more than a year in the last round of qualifiers in June.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Richard Kingson, Adam Kwarasey, Ernest Sowah.

Defenders: Samuel Inkoom, John Paintsil, Isaac Vorsah, Jonathan Mensah, Lee Addy, Daniel Opare, John Mensah.

Midfielders: Andre Ayew, Kwadwo Asamoah, Emmanuel Agyeman-Badu, Sulley Muntari, Anthony Annan, Albert Adomah, Rabiu Mohammed, Derek Boateng.

Strikers: Asamoah Gyan, Prince Tagoe, Dominic Adiyiah, Jordan Ayew, Nathaniel Asamoah.