Six Black Stars players with a big point to prove against Madagascar

With the 2022 World Cup to come, GOAL spotlights seven Black Stars who must make the most of any opportunity they get in Wednesday's Afcon 2023 qualifier in Cape Coast.

After cementing their World Cup spot with victory over Nigeria in March, Ghana are set to return to action with a home clash with Madagascar in their opening game of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers on Wednesday.

An away encounter with the Central African Republic then follows, before Otto Addo's charges go to face Japan and Chile/Tunisia in the 2022 Kirin Cup.

Ahead of Wednesday's tie, GOAL looks at seven players who have big responsibilities to prove their worth in the Ghana squad, should they want to remain part of the team as the World Cup beckons.

Jonathan Mensah

With Leicester City's Daniel Amartey, Strasbourg's Alexander Djiku and Celta Vigo's Joseph Aidoo all ahead of him on the Ghana centre-back pecking order, the Columbus Crew captain has a lot to prove on his return to the Black Stars after being snubbed for March's double-header against Nigeria.

The reported imminent arrival of Southampton's Mohammed Salisu on the international stage heightens Mensah's need.

Andy Yiadom

Yiadom was left out of the initial 33-man squad announced for the upcoming games and has only been handed a late call-up.

With Club Brugge's Denis Odoi now Addo's new first-choice right-back and the expected switch of Brighton & Hove Albion's Tariq Lamptey from England to Ghana, the Reading fullback cannot afford to waste any opportunity should he get one against Madagascar.

Alidu Seidu

Yiadom's snub from the original Ghana list was largely due to the presence of the Clemont defender who has been handed a first ever international call-up.

With competition for places at right-back keenly contested, Seidu has his job cut out.

Benjamin Tetteh

The Yeni Malatyaspor man's inclusion in the latest squad raised a few eyebrows, and he, thus, holds a responsibility to prove just why he got the call-up, should he get the chance.

Mubarak Wakaso

Having not played competitive club football for about a year, Wakaso was a surprise inclusion in Addo's list.

Should he want to stake a claim for a call again in September, he cannot let his current invitation go without proving his worth, especially with Baba Iddrisu, Elisha Owusu and Edmund Addo seemingly ahead of him on Ghana's defensive midfield roster.

Yaw Yeboah

The Columbus Crew winger was also another unexpected name on the list, having never cemented a permanent place in the Black Stars since breaking out at the 2015 U20 World Cup.

Left on the bench in March's double-header against Nigeria, the winger may just never get a call-up anytime soon should he not make a convincing statement for himself this time around, particularly with the anticipated switch of Chelsea's Callum Hudson-Odoi and Athletic Bilbao's Nicholas Williams to Ghana ahead of the World Cup.

Daniel Afriyie Barnieh

Many feel Afriyie's call-up is nothing but the Ghana Football Association's form of encouragement to home-based players.

Now in the camp of the Black Stars, the Hearts of Oak attacker, like Bechem United winger Augustine Okrah, must prove that he indeed deserved the call-up just like his foreign compatriots.