Ghana has omitted Arsenal’s Thomas Partey from their squad for two crucial Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Angola and Niger.
The matches are expected to be decisive for the Black Stars’ hopes of reaching the tournament in Morocco, with the first fixture scheduled for Wednesday.
Partey, 31, boasts an impressive record of 13 goals in 49 appearances for Ghana but will be absent, as embattled head coach Otto Addo chose to keep his reasons for the omission private.
“My reasons are confidential. I hope he will rejoin us for the next international window in March (World Cup qualifying),” Addo told the media, sparking further speculation about the Arsenal midfielder’s situation with the national team.
In another key lineup change involving Premier League players, Jordan Ayew, the Leicester City forward, has been named captain in place of West Ham’s Mohamed Kudus.
Kudus captained Ghana in October qualifiers, which included two fixtures against Sudan.
However, the Black Stars’ poor showing—earning just a single point—has jeopardized their qualification chances, raising concerns that Ghana might miss AFCON finals for the first time in two decades.
As four-time AFCON champions, Ghana sits third in Group F with only two points from four matches, trailing leaders Angola and second-placed Sudan.
To revive their campaign, they must secure victory away against Angola on Friday and follow up with another win at home against Niger just three days later.
Meanwhile, Sudan needs only one point from their remaining fixtures against Niger and Angola to seal their spot in Morocco, even though the team has faced the additional challenge of playing “home” matches on neutral grounds due to ongoing civil strife.
With the pressure mounting, Addo’s selection decisions—including the reshuffling of key roles—could prove decisive in Ghana’s AFCON journey, and fans are left hopeful that the gamble will pay off.
