Ghana’s Black Meteors will resume camping on Monday, October 12, with 32 locally based players expected to report to the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence in Prampram as head coach Desmond Ofei steps up preparations for next month’s crucial U-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Libya.

The team is targeting a place in the final qualifying round as Ghana seeks to end its 22-year absence from the men’s Olympic football tournament, having last featured at the 2004 Athens Games.

The initial squad comprises players drawn from various Ghana Premier League and lower-division clubs, with the technical team expected to reduce the numbers as preparations progress. Six foreign-based players are also expected to join the squad ahead of the two-legged encounter.

The Black Meteors are scheduled to face Libya during the November 9–17 international window, with Ghana travelling for the first leg before hosting the return fixture.

The technical team intends to keep the locally based players in camp until the qualifiers, although temporary releases may be granted weekly at the request of their clubs to enable them to feature in domestic league matches.

Victory over Libya on aggregate will send Ghana into the final qualifying round, where they will face either Equatorial Guinea or Niger for a place at the tournament.

The three-round qualification campaign will determine the seven countries that join hosts Egypt for the eight-team U-23 Africa Cup of Nations finals.

For Ghana, progressing through the qualifiers would be a significant step towards rebuilding the Black Meteors and reviving the country’s hopes of returning to the Olympic men’s football competition.

Full Black Meteors squad for camping

Goalkeepers

Gidios Aseako (Dreams FC)

Godwin Ametepe (Vision FC)

Yakubu Saeed (Medeama SC)

Defenders

Roland Leveh (Swedru All Blacks FC)

Emmanuel Sanja (Asante Kotoko SC)

Alidu Labaran (Vision FC)

Raymond Agyemang (Aduana FC)

Anderstain Owusu Akwasi (Smack Sporting)

Alhaj Umar Nauffal (Dreams FC)

Antwi Dacosta (Young Apostles FC)

Midfielders

Hubert Gyau (Asante Kotoko SC)

Fildaus Mohammed (Steadfast FC)

Demeterous Sarkodie (Debibi United FC)

Daniel Ofori (Pac Academy)

Paul Yeboah (Medeama SC)

Samuel Boakye (Semper Fi FC)

Isaac Kwadwo Fosu (Nsuopon Fidelity FC)

Isaiah Kwadwo Fosu (Ebusua Dwarfs FC)

Owusu Ansah (Port City FC)

Adjetey Sowah (FC Samartex 1996)

George Paaku (Accra Hearts of Oak SC)

Ishmael Addo (Heart of Lions FC)

Forwards/Wingers

Yussif Sanni (Liberty Academy)

Owusu Agyapong (Berekum Chelsea FC)

Abdul Samed Yakubu (FC Ashantigold 04)

Kelvin Nkrumah (Medeama SC)

Mahfuz Nyaba (Karela FC)

Daniel Kwame Awuni (Aduana FC)

Eric Darkwa Wiafe (Swedru All Blacks FC)

Razak Salifu (Dreams FC)

Shariff Alabani (Heart of Lions FC)

Godfred John Arthur (Bibiani Goldstars SC)