Despite being given a second opportunity to compete for a place at the Morocco 2023 Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), Ethiopia has decided to pass it up.
The Black Meteors of Ghana were supposed to tackle DR Congo in March for a ticket to the U-23 Afcon but the latter got kicked out of the qualifiers after the Confederation of African Football (Caf) admitted to a huge blunder for allowing them participation when they were supposed to be serving a two-tournament ban for fielding an overage player during the qualifiers for the last edition in 2019.
Caf then decided that Ethiopia and Algeria who lost to the DRC in the first and second qualifying rounds should face off with the aggregate winner advancing to face Ghana later next month.
But the Ethiopians feel they are not ready and have given the North Africans free passage.
Now Algeria will face Ghana in a two-legged deciding tie. They play at home first on Friday, March 24.
The Black Meteors will host the second leg at Baba Yara Sports Stadium on Tuesday, March 28.
Tanko calls 24 for camping
Head coach Ibrahim Tanko has named a squad of twenty-four (24) players ahead of Ghana’s final quest to secure back-to-back qualification to the U-23 Afcon.
The invited players were asked to report to the camp at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence, Prampram by 2 pm on Monday, February 27.
Tanko retained 17 players from his last squad that eliminated Mozambique while inviting 7 fresh new faces – Augustine Agyapong, Eric Osei Bonsu, Seth Kwadwo, Emmanuel Appau, England-based Kwame Poku, Issah Kuka and Ghana Premier League leading scorer Mezack Afriyie.
The 2023 Under-23 Afcon, scheduled for November 2 to 26 in Morocco, will serve as a qualifying tournament for football at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Africa has three automatic slots with the fourth-placed team getting a playoff chance against an opponent from Asia.
2023 U-23 AfconQ: Kwame Poku, 23 others make Black Meteors squad for Ethiopia/Algeria decider
