Ethiopia national team coach Ashenafi Bekele has named a 22-man squad for the upcoming African Cup of Nations qualifier group opener tie in Kumasi against heavyweights Ghana. The Walias have a three week residential camp in which they played one buildup game last Saturday in Hawassa against Uganda.
Few new faces made the cut for their maiden national team appearances. Fasil Ketema’s Abdulrhaman Mubarak and Hawassa Ketema’s Gadissa Mebrate are included in the squad. Kidus Giorgis trio Salahdin Said, Salahdin Bargicho and Asechalew Tamene, who happened to join the team at the start of the week after being preoccupied with CAF Champions League games, also made the cut.
Ame Mohammed, Tekelemariam Shanko, Ephrem Ashamo, Awet Gebremikael and Ahmed Reshide were excluded from the team that will tackle Ghana on Sunday, June 11.
Coach Ashenafi took three goalkeepers to Kumasi. A 33-man Ethiopian national team contingent departed to Accra at the early hours of Thursday morning.
Full Squad
Goalkeepers
Abel Mamo (Mekelakeya), Jemal Tassew (Jimma Aba Bunna), Lealem Birhanu (Sidama Bunna)
Defenders
Abdulkerim Mohammed (Ethiopia Bunna), Asechalew Tamene, Salahdin Bargicho (Kidus Giorgis), Addis Tesfaye (Mekelakeya), Tesfaye Bekele, Mujib Kassim (Adama Ketema), Seyoum Tesfaye (Dedebit), Aneteneh Tesfaye (Sidama Bunna)
Midfielders
Shemelese Bekele (Petrojet/Egypt), Biruk Kalbore (Adama Ketema), Shemekit Gugesa (Dedebit), Gatoch Panom (Ethiopia Bunna), Mulualem Mesfin (Sidama Bunna), Gadisa Mebrate (Hawassa Ketema)
Forwards
Getaneh Kebede (Dedebit), Salahdin Said (Kidus Giorgis), Abdulrhaman Mubarak (Fasil Ketema), Oumed Okuri (El Entag El Harby/Egypt), Addis Gidey (Sidama Bunna)
