Black Stars kicked off preparations for their crucial fixtures against Mali and the Central African Republic (CAR) with their first training session at the Legon Stadium.
Notably absent from the session were Fenerbahce center-back Alexander Djiku and new Austin FC signing Osman Bukari.
After the 26-man squad was announced on Wednesday, the players started gathering for camp on Thursday. Their initial training session took place on Friday and was open to both the public and the media.
Despite a strong turnout of players, these two key figures were missing from the session.
The Black Stars had their first training session today, open to the media and public.@Bill_Eshun has the details.#3SportsGH #BlackStars #2026worldcup pic.twitter.com/9VCZIbMQjM
— #3Sports (@3SportsGh) May 31, 2024
“Aside Osman Bukari and Alexander Djiku, the rest of the players took part in the training session on Friday. Bukari’s late arrival is as result of his switch from Red Star Belgrade to Major League Soccer side Austin FC, while Djiku is being assessed after picking an arm injury in the closing stages of the Turkish Super Lig,” the Ghana Football Association explained.
Bukari, after enjoying an impressive two seasons with Serbian giants Red Star Belgrade, has joined Major League Soccer as a Designated Player, a role that places him among the top earners at Austin FC.
Djiku, on the other hand, was instrumental in helping Fenerbahce secure a second-place finish in the Turkish Super Lig. His injury, however, comes at a rather unfortunate time, and Ghana will be hoping to have him fit to bolster their defense.
Ghana will travel to Bamako, Mali, next week for the clash on June 6 before returning to Kumasi to host the Central African Republic on June 10. The Black Stars currently sit fourth in Group I of the CAF World Cup qualifiers, trailing Comoros, Mali, and Madagascar.
With their World Cup qualifying hopes on the line, the Black Stars are keen to secure victories in both upcoming fixtures.
The next few days will be crucial as Ghana’s national team aims to get back to winning ways and climb up the group standings.
