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The October meeting scheduled between Black Stars and National Thunder will not go as scheduled.
Equatorial Guinea has withdrawn from the scheduled international friendly match with Ghana next month, the latter’s Football Association (GFA) has confirmed.
Interestingly, the development comes just one day after the GFA announced the meeting scheduled for October 12 in Turkey.
The Black Stars clash with the National Thunder was one of two preparatory clashes for the West Africans ahead of their 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double match against Sudan in November, as Ghana will face Mali in early 9 October.
“The international soccer match between the Ghanaian Black Stars and Equatorial Guinea has been canceled,” the GFA announced on its official website on Friday.
“Ghana was scheduled to play the Central Africans on Monday, October 12, in one of the two friendlies the team has in next month’s FIFA International window.
“The Equatorial Guinea Football Association informed the GFA of the latest decision on Thursday night, citing new travel restrictions imposed in their country. Equatorial Guinea’s borders are closed and flights are suspended due to new Covid rules. -19.
“The GFA has immediately put in place an alternative plan to secure another match for the team as the coaches prepare for Afcon’s next qualifying game against Sudan in November.”
After 10 months of inactivity due to disruptions from the coronavirus pandemic, the Black Stars are looking to test their readiness for competitive action with a pair of friendly games before the resumption of Afcon’s qualification in November.
They were last in action in November 2019 when they beat South Africa 2-0 at home and Sao Tome and Principe 1-0 away in the Afcon 2022 qualifying rounds to rise to the top of Group C.
The October friendlies will also be the first round of assignments for Ghana’s new coach CK Akonnor, who replaced James Kwasi Appiah in January but has had to endure a long wait to get the team into action for the first time.
He appointed his first squad Black Stars ahead of a clash with Sudan in March, but the double header of ties from home and away from home was forced to move to a new date due to the coronavirus outbreak.
