Black Stars call-up: Jonathan Mensah returns after a year

Ghana International and Columbus Crew defender Jonathan Mensah (Paa Joe) has returned to the Ghana squad after failing to get a call up in the last 12 months.

Ghana coach James Kwesi Appiah has included the 28-year-old in his 23-man squad for next week’s 2019 AFCON qualifying double-header against Sierra Leone.

Though Mensah has been active in the Major League Soccer in the USA and has one goal to his name he couldn’t draw the attention of the Ghana coach who was ‘looking at other players’.

His last game for Ghana came last September when he helped the Black Stars hammer Congo 5-1 in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Brazzaville.

Ghana slipped to a 1-0 loss against Kenya in their last outing in the qualifying campaign series.

Mensah’s teammate at Crew Harrison Afful has also made the grades.

Mensah will join 22 other players to prepare for the first leg in Kumasi on 11 October.

Full Squad:

Goalkeepers: Richard Ofori (Maritzburg United, South Africa), Lawrence Ati Zigi (Sochaux, France), Felix Annan (Asante Kotoko)

Defenders : Harrison Afful (Columbus Crew, USA), Andy Yiadom (Reading FC, England), Lumor Agbenyenu (Sporting Lisbon, Portugal), Jonathan Mensah (Columbus Crew, USA), John Boye (FC Metz, France), Daniel Amartey (Leicester City, England), Nicholas Opoku (Udinese, Italy)

Midfielders : Mubarak Wakaso (Deportivo Alaves, Spain), Isaac Sackey (Alanyaspor, Turkey), Afriyie Acquah (Empoli, Italy), Kwadwo Asamoah (Inter Milan, Italy), Thomas Partey (Atletico Madrid, Spain), Bernard Mensah (Kayserispor, Turkey), Christian Atsu (Newcastle United, England), Thomas Agyepong (Hibernian, Scotland), Nana Ampomah (Waasland-Beveren, Belgium)

Forwards : Asamoah Gyan (Kayserispor, Turkey), Majeed Waris (FC Nantes, France), Emmanuel Boateng (Levante, Spain), Richmond Boakye-Yiadom (Red Star Belgrade, Serbia)