Ghana’s Black Stars are set to face a tough test against Austria in their pre-World Cup friendly match on March 27, with the Austrians bolstered by the addition of Borussia Dortmund’s Carney Chukwuemeka.
The 22-year-old midfielder has officially switched his international allegiance from England to Austria, and he’ll be eligible to face Ghana at the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna.
Chukwuemeka, born in Vienna to Nigerian parents, had previously represented England at youth levels but never earned a senior cap.
His switch to Austria adds depth to Ralf Rangnick’s squad, which has qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1998. Austria is in Group J, alongside defending champions Argentina, Algeria, and Jordan.
The Black Stars, on the other hand, are in Group L, with England, Croatia, and Panama.
Ghana will begin their World Cup campaign against Panama on June 17 in Toronto, followed by matches against England on June 23 in Boston, and Croatia on June 27 in Philadelphia .
The friendly against Austria is part of Ghana’s preparations for the World Cup, and coach Otto Addo will be looking to fine-tune his team ahead of the tournament.
Ghana has secured qualification for the World Cup, finishing top of CAF Group I with eight wins and one loss.
Chukwuemeka’s addition to the Austrian squad is a significant boost, given his experience playing in the English Premier League and the Champions League.
The midfielder has scored two goals in 20 league games for Dortmund this season.
The match against Austria promises to be an exciting encounter, and Ghanaian fans will be eager to see is his former England team-mate come up against the Black Stars.
The match is a great opportunity for Ghana to test their skills against a strong Austrian team, and fans will be hoping for a positive result ¹ ⁶.
