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Soccer News of Tuesday, 12 May 2015

Source: ghanasoccernet.com

MLS defender Kofi Opare denies snubbing Ghana for Canada

Ghanaian-born DC United defender Kofi Opare has denied turning down Ghana to play for his international football with Canada insisting he has not even been approached by the Ghana Football Association (GFA).

The 24-year-old says the Canadian Football Association is the only federation to have approached him to play for them so he could not have snubbed Ghana when no offer to play for the Black Stars has been made.

Opare says his options are still open and could play for Ghana, Canada or the United States insisting that his interest is to play international football for the country which approaches him.

The defender looks to have been irked by reports by a Ghanaian website claiming he has snubbed his country of birth to play for Canada.

Opare holds a permanent resident status but recently submitted paperwork to Canadian immigration in the hope of acquiring full citizenship.

But the 24-year-old has taken to Twitter to deny reports that he rejected Ghana to play for Canada.

He states that the article had some factual inaccuracies and has set the record straight.

The 24-year-old of American side D.C. United has been a pillar at the back for his club since joining in 2014 and is currently one of the best stoppers in Major Soccer League.

Opare is yet to be capped by the West African nation at any level, and despite the fact that he can also represent the United States and Canada, he insists all his options are still open.

He spent his early childhood in Ghana and lived in South Africa and New Jersey before moving to Canada in 2006 with his family and settling in Niagara Falls, Ontario, where he attended high school. He studied at the University of Michigan in the United States before joining LA Galaxy in 2013.



Opare holds a permanent resident status but recently submitted paperwork to Canadian immigration in the hope of acquiring full citizenship.

He has started five of eight league games so far for D.C. United, who are in a three-way tie for first in MLS with just six goals allowed this year.

Should he succeed eventually, Opare would pair with countryman Nana Attakorah who also chose Canada ahead of Ghana.