Make-shift Stars play Canada tonight

Black Stars coach, Avram Grant, will have the opportunity to run the rule over his new-look side when he leads a make-shift Ghana side into battle tonight at 11.30 p.m. (Ghana time) against Canada at the RFK Stadium in Washington DC, USA.

Grant waited till last Saturday to release his 19-man squad which has been bedevilled with injury withdrawals and visa issues, resulting in the debut call-ups of four players — Lloyd Ekow Sam (New York Red Bulls, USA), Kwadwo Poku (New York City FC, USA), Gideon Baah (HJK Helsinki, Finland) and Phil Ofosu-Ayeh (Eintracht Braunschweig, Germany).

The quartet will be eager to impress Grant against The Canucks of Canada in the hope of more future call-ups, especially in the absence of regulars such as skipper Asamoah Gyan, Baba Rahman and CAF Player of the Year nominees, Christian Atsu and Andre Dede Ayew.

Grant’s side, ranked 25th on the FIFA rankings, will be marshalled by the experienced trio of Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu, John Boye and Mubarak Wakaso, who will be expected to guide the efforts of their compatriots against an average Canadian side ranked 104th in the world.

Returnee forward, Abdul-Majeed Waris will also be looking forward to recapturing his brilliant scoring form against the Canadian defence after missing the 2015 AFCON following an injury.

The Canadian national team, coached by Benito Floro, will be using the game to prepare for the semi-final round of the CONCACAF World Cup qualifying, while the Black Stars await the winner of the clash between Comoros and Lesotho in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.