2014 World Cup: Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah drops Schlupp, Accam and crocked Akamino as team head to USA

Published on: 01 June 2014
2014 World Cup: Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah drops Schlupp, Accam and crocked Akamino as team head to USA
Jerry Akaminko

By Akyereko Frimpong Manson

Follow Akyereko on Twitter: @AkyerekOfficial

Ghana coach James Kwesi Appiah has settled on his final 23-man squad for the 2014 World Cup after dropping three players following Saturday's pre-World Cup friendly against the Netherlands in Rotterdam.

The Black Stars head coach have up to a Monday deadline to submit his final squad to FIFA but checks from the Netherlands have confirmed Leicester City defender Jeffrey Schlupp and Helsingborg IF attacker David Accam has been dropped after failing to impress the Ghana coach.

Kwesi Appiah has been forced to leave out center-back Jerry Akaminko who suffered a heartbreaking ankle injury during Ghana's 1-0 reverse against Holland on Saturday night.

Akaminko unfortunately landed on his ankle and dragged it badly down after going into an aerial challenge. Preliminary scan results have confirmed the Eskisehirspor defender would need two months to recover from the injury.

The defender will fly to the United States with the rest of the 23-man squad to consort an ankle specialist for surgery.

Kwesi Appiah's decision not to hand a late call-up to a central defender means he would be left with only three natural center-backs (Jonathan Mensah, John Boye and Rashid Sumaila). Asante Kotoko center-back Kwabena Adusei was named on a four-man standby list but has not been considered as a replacement for the Akaminko.

Schlupp, who earned the call-up in the provisional 26-man squad following his impressive performance for newly-promoted English Premier League side Leicester City could not make the grades.

While Accam, who did not play part of the friendly against the Netherlands couldn't also make the squad for the tournament. But it is heartbreaking for Accam who hit a rich vein of form for Helsingborg in the Swedish Allsvenskan after scoring 12 goals 14 games in the early stages of the season.

Ghana are in the same group with old foes United States and European giants Portugal and Germany with the group opener against the United States in Natal.

Adam Kwarasey, Fatau Dauda, Stephen Adams.

Defenders: Samuel Inkoom, Daniel Opare, Harrison Afful, John Boye, Jonathan Mensah, Rashid Sumaila.

Midfielders: Michael Essien, Rabiu Mohammed, Agyemang Badu, Kwadwo Asamoah, Sulley Muntari, Albert Adomah, Wakaso Mubarak, Christian Atsu, Andre Ayew, Afriyie Acquah.

Strikers: Asamoah Gyan, Kevin Prince Boateng, Abdul Majeed Waris, Jordan Ayew.

AXED TRIO: Accam, Schlupp and Akaminko

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