Ghana U-23 head coach Desmond Ofei has finalised a 23-man Black Meteors squad for the second-round 2027 CAF U-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying tie against Libya.
The squad, published by the Ghana Football Association on Friday night, will travel to Benghazi for the first leg on Wednesday, November 11. Ghana will host the return fixture during the November 9–17 international window.
Barcelona B winger Abdul Aziz Issah is the most prominent of eight overseas-based players selected for the two-legged encounter.
The other foreign-based players are FC Annecy left-back David Oduro, Sacramento Republic FC centre-back Aaron Essel, Real Madrid II defender Oscar Oppong, SC Internacional defensive midfielder Phenyin-Denis Marfo, SC Austria Lustenau midfielder Lord Afrifa, Swansea City winger Joseph Opoku and HNK Rijeka striker Dan Adu-Adjei.
Ofei reduced the squad from the 32-man provisional group called up in October at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence in Prampram.
Fifteen players from Ghanaian clubs make up the rest of the final selection.
Dreams FC goalkeeper Gidios Aseako, Medeama SC’s Yakubu Saeed and Vision FC’s Godwin Ametepe are the three goalkeepers included.
The defensive options are led by Asante Kotoko right-back Emmanuel Sanja. He is joined by Roland Leveh of Swedru All Blacks, Vision FC left-back Alidu Labaran, Aduana FC defender Raymond Agyemang and Young Apostles centre-back Dacosta Antwi.
The home-based midfield and attacking players are Firdaus Mohammed of Steadfast FC, Asante Kotoko’s Hubert Gyau, Ishmael Addo of Heart of Lions, Medeama SC midfielder Kelvin Nkrumah, Eric Wiafe of Swedru All Blacks, Owusu Ansah of Port City FC and Daniel Ofori of PAC Academy.
Ghana must win the tie on aggregate to reach the third and final qualifying round, where they would face either Equatorial Guinea or Niger.
Seven nations will emerge from the three-round qualifying process to join hosts Egypt at the 2027 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations, which will feature eight teams.
The continental tournament will also determine Africa’s qualifiers for the men’s football competition at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Ofei is seeking to lead Ghana back to the Olympics for the first time since the country competed at Athens 2004, and has backed his players to overcome Libya.
