Black Stars Face Player Withdrawals Ahead of AFCON Qualifiers

Accra:Carlos Queiroz's preparations for the Black Stars' upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers have been disrupted by several player withdrawals and fitness issues. According to Ghana Web, Mohammed Kudus has chosen to remain with Tottenham Hotspur to focus on his recovery and regain full fitness after a lengthy injury. Queiroz noted that further assessment indicated protecting Kudus's recovery was the best decision. Nathaniel Adjei, a defender for Lorient, has been ruled out due to a hamstring injury, marking a setback as he was making his return to the national team after nearly a year. Prince Kwabena Adu, the Viktoria Plzen forward, is also unavailable following a head injury sustained during club play. Another blow to Queiroz's squad is the withdrawal of Manchester City forward Antoine Semenyo, who is dealing with an injury concern. Baba Rahman, an experienced left-back, will also miss the matches due to fitness issues. Alidu Seidu has withdrawn from the squad because of fitness concerns, adding to the defensive challenges facing Queiroz. Jordan Ayew, the team captain, is the latest to join the list of absentees. He arrived in camp but reportedly experienced discomfort, and subsequent medical checks confirmed an injury that will likely sideline him for the two qualifiers against Côte d'Ivoire and The Gambia.