Stand in captain of the Black Stars, Andre Dede Ayew says his colleagues are determined to win the 2018 World Cup qualifying match against Egypt on Sunday, November 13, to honour the memory of fallen coach, E.K Afranie.
The deceased coach met his untimely death when an ambulance ferrying him from Accra to Kumasi on the Suhum stretch of the Accra Nsawam road was hit by another vehicle sending Afranie’s ambulance into a ditch and tragically concluding the life of the man many called ‘coach hene’ (king of coaches).
Ambulance Mr. Afranie was being ferried in
Mr. Afranie had suffered a mild stroke about a month ago and was being conveyed to the Komfo Anokye Hospital in Kumasi for further care.
The Black Stars are preparing for the crucial encounter in Dubai and are expected to fly over to Alexandria tomorrow for the fixture on Sunday.
“He is a big figure in Ghanaian football coaching the U-17 side, Hearts of Oak and Kotoko as well as qualifying the Black Queens to their first World Cup,†Dede observed.
Meanwhile coach Avram Grant maintains despite the absence of lead striker Asamoah Gyan to play the Egypt game, he has a good unit to give him victory.
Reports suggest Egyptians were happy upon hearing of Gyan’s exclusion. The following players have however earned call-ups for the crunch encounter.
Goalkeepers: Razak Braimah (Cordoba, Spain), Adam Kwarasey (Rosenborg, Norway) Richard Ofori (Wa All Stars)
Defenders: Harrison Afful (Columbus Crew, USA), Andy Yiadom (Barnsley, England), Baba Rahman (Schalke, Germany), Jeffery Schlupp (Leicester City, England), John Boye (Sivasspor, Turkey), Jonathan Mensah (Anzhi, Russia), Daniel Amartey (Leicester City, England), Edwin Gyimah (Orlando Pirates, South Africa)
Midfielders: Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu (Udinese, Italy), Afriyie Acquah (Torino, Italy), Thomas Partey (Atletico Madrid, Spain)Â Mubarak Wakaso (Panathinaikos, Greece), Frank Acheampong (Anderlecht, Belgium), Christian Atsu (Newcastle, England), Alhassan Wakaso (Rio Ave, Portugal), Samuel Tetteh (Leifering, Austria)
Forwards: Jordan Ayew (Aston Villa, England), Abdul-Majeed Waris (Lorient, France), Andre Ayew (West Ham, England) and Ebenezer Assifuah (Sion, Switzerland).