Ghana national under-23 football team

Ghana U23 football team (also known as Ghana Olympic football team or Black Meteors), represents Ghana in international football competitions in Olympic Games, All-Africa Games, and CAF U-23 Championship. The selection is limited to players aged 23 and under the age of 23, except during the Olympic Games where the use of three overage players is allowed. The team is controlled by the Ghana Football Association (GFA).

Ghana U23
Nickname(s)The Black Meteors
AssociationGhana Olympic Committee (GOC)
ConfederationANOCA (Africa)
Head coachPaa Kwesi Fabin
Home stadiumAccra Sports Stadium
FIFA codeGHA
First colours
Second colours
Olympic Games
Appearances6 (first in 1964)
Best result3rd: 1992
Africa U-23 Cup of Nations
Appearances1 (first in 2019)
Best resultFourth place (2019)
All-Africa Games
Appearances5 (first in 1973)
Best result Gold Medal (2011)
Olympic medal record
Men's Football
1992 Barcelona Team

The team had qualified for five straight Olympic Games Football Tournaments when the tournament was still a full senior national team competition. In 1992, they became the first African country to win a medal at Olympic Games football. The Black Meteors failed to qualify for Beijing 2008 and although being the 2011 All-Africa Games champions, the Ghana Olympic football team failed to qualify for the 2011 CAF U-23 Championship, thus did not participate in London 2012.[2]

History

Ghana appeared in the quarter-final of the Olympic Games in 1964 where they were beaten by Romania in the quarter-final. They played in the 1968, 1972 Olympic tournaments, but never progressed further than the Group stages. They also qualified in 1976 then withdrew.

In 1992, Ghana reached the semi-final for the first time, they defeated Australia 2-0 to claim their first bronze medal in the event, and thus became the first African country to win a medal at football.

Ghana reached the quarter-finals of the Olympics football tournament in 1996 for the second time, they lost 4-2 against Brazil.

In the Athens 2004 tournament Ghana were eliminated in the Group stages after they lost a must win game 1-0 against Japan. The team were not able to qualify for Beijing 2008 and London 2012.

Olympic record

Former Olympic squads

Note: Football at the Summer Olympics has been an under-23 tournament since 1992.

All-Africa Games record

Former All-Africa Games squads

Note: Football at the All-Africa Games has been an under-23 tournament since 1991.

Current squad

Head coach: Malik Jabir

Ghana national under-23 football team squad.
# Name Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
Goalkeepers
1 Eric Ofori Antwi (1994-11-20) November 20, 1994 0 0 Amidaus Professionals
Defenders
2 Richard Ofori (1993-04-24) April 24, 1993 0 0 Academica Coimbra
4 Ebenezer Ofori (1995-07-01) July 1, 1995 0 0 AIK
5 Isaac Donkor (1995-08-15) August 15, 1995 0 0 Inter Milan
13 Kojo Brown (1993-11-23) November 23, 1993 0 0 Unattached
Midfielders
3 Thomas Partey (1993-06-13) June 13, 1993 0 0 Atlético Madrid on loan to Almería
6 Alfred Duncan (1993-03-10) March 10, 1993 0 0 Inter Milan on loan to Sampdoria
8 Evans Nyarko (1992-07-06) July 6, 1992 0 0 Borussia Dortmund
10 Bernard Mensah (1994-10-17) October 17, 1994 0 0 Vitória Guimarães
15 Mohammed Fatau (1992-12-24) December 24, 1992 0 0 Rayo Vallecano on loan from Granada CF
20 Joachim Adukor (1993-05-02) May 2, 1993 0 0 AS Béziers Hérault (football)
18 Ibrahim Moro (1993-11-10) November 10, 1993 0 0 AIK
19 Richard Boateng (1992-07-10) July 10, 1992 0 0 Granada CF
21 Emmanuel Frimpong (1992-01-10) January 10, 1992 0 0 Ufa
Strikers
7 Bernard Mensah (1994-12-29) December 29, 1994 0 0 Watford
9 Kwame Nsor (1992-08-01) August 1, 1992 0 0 FC Metz
11 Frank Acheampong (1993-10-16) October 16, 1993 0 0 Anderlecht
14 Francis Narh (1994-04-18) April 18, 1994 0 0 Baník Ostrava
16 Kennedy Ashia (1993-12-13) December 13, 1993 0 0 Liberty Professionals
17 Ebenezer Assifuah (1993-07-03) July 3, 1993 0 0 FC Sion
20 Richmond Boakye (1993-01-28) January 28, 1993 0 0 Juventus
22 Kwame Karikari (1992-01-21) January 21, 1992 0 0 AIK

See also

References
  1. Since 1992, squads for Football at the Summer Olympics have been restricted to three players over the age of 23. The achievements of such teams are not usually included in the statistics of the international team.
  2. Ghana Football Association. www.ghanafa.org.
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