Andre Ayew Axed As Ghana Coach Otto Addo Names Squad for World Cup Qualifiers Against Mali and CAR

• Andre Ayew has been dropped from the Ghana squad for the World Cup qualifiers
• The Le Havre star was not included in the team for the games against Mali and CAR
• Ghana will travel to Bamako to face Mali before engaging CAF in Kumasi on June 10

Black Stars captain, Andre Ayew, has been dropped for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Mali and the Central African Republic in June.

New Black Stars coach, Otto Addo, named his squad for the two games, inviting two debutants Ibrahim Sulemana and Brandon Thomas-Asante.

In a meeting with the press on Wednesday in Accra, the former Dortmund midfielder expressed delight in making a return to the national team on a full-time basis.

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"I am very happy to be back. It was a long decision but the FA spoke with Dortmund and at the end of the day I am here," he said at the press conference.

Meanwhile, seven players were dropped from the squad due to injury, as sighted on Ghana FA's official website.

Athletic Bilbao forward Inaki Williams, Joseph Paintsil, Majeed Ashimeru, Baba Iddrisu, Nathaniel Adjei, Dennis Odoi and Daniel Amartey were all excluded due to knocks.

However, returning to the squad is Southampton's Kamaldeen Sulemana, who missed the Africa Cup of Nations due to an injury.

Ghana will face Mali on June 6 in Bamako before returning to Kumasi for the second game against the Central African Republic four days later.

Ghana winless in 2024 after Uganda draw

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Ghana's winless run continued after the Black Stars were held to a pulsating 2-2 draw by Uganda in an international friendly in Morocco.

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Goals from Jerome Opoku and Jordan Ayew were cancelled by Steven Mukwala and Shaban Muhammad as the two sides shared the spoils.

The Black Stars got off to a brilliant start after Opoku rose high to head home from a Jordan Ayew corner kick after just six minutes.

Five players make Ghana debut in March

Sports Brief also reported that five players including Francis Abu made their Ghana debut during the international break in March against Uganda and Nigeria.

For countries in Africa, the 2026 World Cup qualifiers return in June as the quest for a place in the USA, Canada and Mexico continues.

Ghana used the break to try some new players as Otto Addo prepared his team for the matches against Mali and the Central African Republic.