18 Satellites picked for SA tourney

Ghana's Under-20 head coach Orlando Wellington has invited 18 players to represent the country at next month's Cape Town International Challenge tournament in South Africa.

 
The Heart of Lions coach will begin preparations with the select band of players on 29 March for the assignment which runs from 7-20 April.

 
About 90 percent of the players have been promoted from the national Under-17 team which failed to qualify for the Africa Under-17 Championship last year.

 
Notable among them is Hearts of Oak's lead marksman Mahatma Otoo who has scored 7 goals in the Glo Premier League.

 
"We have picked players who are playing actively in the League and within the age group for this tournament. After this assignment we will invite more players and also look outside the country where some players are eligible to play for Ghana," Coach Wellington told Ghanasoccernet.com

 
Ghana will face Nigeria, Brazil and hosts South Africa in the tournament which is expected to be used to test South Africa's readiness for the Fifa World Cup finals in June.

 
Two venues-the Newlands Stadium, and the Cape Town Stadium, which will play host to eight matches at the World Cup will be used.

 
Squad:
 
Akwesi Acheampong (Liberty Professionals), Ebenezer Mensah (Pure Joy FC), Bright Addae (All Stars), Karim Alhassan (Hearts), Samuel Kyere (Chelsea of Bechem), Abdul Basit (Eleven Wise)

 
Aaron Amoah (New Edubiase FC), Mahatma Otoo (Hearts), Nurudeen Ali (Aduana Stars), Frank Acheampong (King Faisal), Isaac Donkor (Liberty), Abdul Ganiyu (RTU)

 
Moro Ibrahim (RTU), Latif Mohammed (Great Olympics), Kwame Nsor (All Stars), Mohammed Sackey (Desert Warriors), Mohammed Alhassan (Gomoa Fetteh Feyenoord), Ebo Andoh (King Faisal)