Ghana
WORLD CUP 2014
Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah dropped a number of big names, including ex-captain John Mensah and Isaac Vorsah. Michael Essien has been selected for his second World Cup after missing the 2010 tournament through injury, while Asamoah Gyan and Sulley Muntari are on course to appear at the tournament for their third time.
The Black Stars will begin training in Accra on 20 May before travelling to Amsterdam for a friendly against Netherlands on 30 May. Appiah says he will then prune down his squad to 23 players before heading to the United States of America for the final phase of preparations in Miami.
Ghana's final pre-World cup friendly will be against South Korea in Miami before the team arrives in Maceio, their World Cup base on 11 June, five days before their world cup opener against USA. They will also face Germany and Portugal in Group G.
Ghana is one of the five african teams who will participate at the World Cup 2014 in Brazil.
(BBC Sport, Accra by Michael Oti Adjei / May 2014)
facts & stats
Moussa Sow struck late in injury time to earn Senegal victory over Ghana.
Host: Equatorial Guinea
Dates: 17 January - 08 February 2015
Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure has become the first player to be named African Footballer of the Year four years in a row.
Ghana's new coach Avram Grant has named his first Black Stars' squad with an initial list of 31 players for January's Africa Cup of Nations finals.
draw for Confederation Cup held
preliminary round draw
Ghana striker David Accam has signed for Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire on a long-term contract.
Africa Cup of Nations contenders:
Equatorial Guinea (hosts), Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Congo, DR Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Mali, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia and Zambia
Both are suspended indefinitely for gross misconduct while on duty with Ghana at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
