Ghanaian Players Abroad: Kudus Sees Red, Inaki & 3 Black Stars Players Score
- The weekend served as a reminder of the talents that Ghana has at its disposal despite recent struggles on the international stage.
- With many players in form and finding the back of the net, it begs the question: why are they not performing with the Black Stars?
- Nonetheless, YEN.com.gh has a detailed breakdown of the performances of Ghanaian players across various leagues in Europe
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The recent international break brought disappointment to Ghanaian football fans as the Black Stars edge closer to missing out on the AFCON for the first time since 2004.
Ghana's failure to overcome Kwesi Appiah's Sudan in both legs of their 2025 AFCON Qualifiers has left the four-time African champions in a precarious third place with just two points from their group.
Read also
Inaki Williams scores two goals in 2 minutes for Athletic Club after Ghana's AFCON shambles
Source: Getty Images
Black Stars players shine on club return
While numerous reasons have been suggested for the poor results, one recurring criticism has been the perceived lack of passion from the players.
Ironically, several of these same players returned to their respective clubs after the international debacle and delivered standout performances, with four of them finding the net.
Performance of Ghanaian players abroad
Here’s a detailed breakdown of the weekend performances of Ghanaian players across various leagues, courtesy of YEN.com.gh:
Lawrence Ati Zigi
In Switzerland, Ati Zigi, who was in goal for both of Ghana’s games against Sudan, returned to action for St. Gallen, putting in a steady performance between the sticks.
Jojo Wollacott
Wollacott, who serves as Ghana’s second-choice goalkeeper, had a tougher weekend as Crawley Town fell 4-1 to Reading in a League One encounter.
Gideon Mensah
The left-back was one of the most criticised players during the October break but put in a sterling performance for Auxerre.
Alidu Seidu
The versatile Seidu played the entire match for Stade Rennes in their 1-1 draw with Brest in Ligue 1, showcasing his defensive abilities with a commanding display.
Tariq Lamptey
Brighton’s Tariq Lamptey, who only made a brief appearance in Ghana’s loss to Sudan, was an unused substitute as his club edged Newcastle United at St. James’ Park.
Abdul Mumin
Mumin, plying his trade in La Liga with Rayo Vallecano, featured for 73 minutes in their narrow 1-0 defeat to Mallorca.
Mohammed Salisu
In France, Salisu, who sustained an injury in Ghana’s second-leg loss to Sudan, missed AS Monaco’s matchday squad as they held Lille to a goalless draw despite being reduced to 10 men.
Jerome Opoku
Opoku, the towering centre-back, played the full match for Basaksehir in their 1-0 loss to Trabzonspor in the Turkish Super Lig.
Ebenezer Annan
Annan played for IFK Beograd, helping his side to a 1-1 draw against Sp. Subotica in the Serbian top-flight.
Alexander Djiku
Djiku featured for Fenerbahce in their thrilling 2-2 draw with Samsunspor in the Turkish Super Lig, putting in a solid shift for Jose Mourinho’s side.
Mohammed Kudus
The star boy had a mixed day at the office.
The midfielder opened the scoring for West Ham against Tottenham but found himself sent off after a reckless challenge that saw him shove three players.
Abu Francis
Cercle Brugge's Abu Francis put in a steady performance in their goalless draw with Dender in the Belgian Jupiler Pro League.
Thomas Partey
Arguably one of the most scrutinised Black Stars players, Partey returned to Arsenal’s starting lineup after recovering from illness.
However, his presence wasn’t enough to prevent a disappointing defeat to Bournemouth.
Elisha Owusu
Owusu missed Auxerre’s 2-1 win over Reims due to suspension, having accumulated too many yellow cards.
Majeed Ashimeru
Ashimeru remained on the bench for Anderlecht as they suffered their first defeat since mid-September, losing to Beerschot VA in the Jupiler Pro League.
Abdul Fatawu Issahaku
Issahaku was the star of the show after coming off the bench for Leicester City, as noted by SportsWorldGhana.
He delivered a man-of-the-match performance, providing an assist and wreaking havoc on Southampton’s defence as the Foxes overturned a 2-0 deficit to win 3-2.
Michael Baidoo
Baidoo, a late call-up for Ghana’s recent games, featured for 75 minutes in Elfsborg’s 3-1 defeat to Hacken in the Swedish Allsvenskan.
Ibrahim Osman
Osman celebrated his first goal for Feyenoord, opening his account in their 5-1 demolition of Go Ahead Eagles in the Dutch Eredivisie, 3news reports.
Antoine Semenyo
Despite squandering a golden chance, Semenyo put in a tireless shift for Bournemouth in their stunning victory over Arsenal, proving once again why he is a key figure for the Cherries.
Inaki Williams
Williams had the most productive return to club action.
Often criticised for his performances with the Black Stars, the forward silenced his detractors with a quickfire brace, leading Athletic Club to a 4-1 victory over Espanyol in La Liga, per beIN Sports.
Brandon Thomas-Asante
Thomas-Asante saw limited game time for Coventry, playing less than half an hour in their 1-0 Championship defeat to Preston.
Ernest Nuamah
In France, Nuamah also made a brief 18-minute appearance for Olympique Lyon in their 4-0 thrashing of Le Havre, where Black Stars captain Andre Ayew also featured.
Andre Ayew
Ayew, who recently re-signed with Le Havre, made his debut with a 25-minute cameo but couldn’t influence the outcome against Lyon.
Jordan Ayew
In contrast, Andre's younger brother, Jordan, had a significant impact.
According to Myjoyonline, he came off the bench to score a dramatic last-minute winner for Leicester City in their thrilling 3-2 comeback victory against Southampton.
Top 10 highest-scoring Ghanaians in EPL
In a previous publication, YEN.com.gh highlighted the top ten highest-scoring Ghanaians in the English Premier League.
Mohammed Kudus' goal against Tottenham has added him to the ranks of notable scorers, joining the likes of Jordan Ayew, Anthony Yeboah, and eight other players on the prestigious list.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
