Ghanaian defender Gideon Mensah remains confident despite the withdrawal of eight key Black Stars players ahead of their final 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers. Ghana, who will face Angola and Niger, has seen several prominent players ruled out due to injuries or personal reasons. Joseph Paintsil, Antoine Semenyo, Ibrahim Osman, Tariq Lamptey, Jerome Opoku, and Inaki Williams are among those unavailable for these crucial games.

In an interview on Monday, Mensah acknowledged the withdrawals as a “big loss” but voiced optimism about the remaining squad. “Every player on the national team is crucial,” Mensah said. “We have key players we rely on, but we also have those ready to step up when needed. I’m not really scared; if one player isn’t available, someone else will be ready to fill in.”

Coach Otto Addo has responded by calling up replacements, including Osman Bukari from Austin FC, Terry Yegbe from IF Elfsborg, Kingsley Schindler, Ransford-Yeboah Konigsdorffer, Forson Amankwah, and Ebenezer Annan. Ghana is set to play Angola in Luanda on November 15, followed by a home match against Niger at Accra Sports Stadium on November 18, 2024.