Black Stars Begin Training in Vienna with 21 Players Ahead of Austria Friendly
- Ghana's senior national team, the Black Stars, have opened camp ahead of their upcoming friendly games
- The former African champions are preparing for their games against Austria and Germany in the international window
- Villarreal CF star Thomas Teye Partey missed the first day of training but 21 players have reported to camp
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Twenty-one (21) Black Stars players trained at the Vienna Football Campus on Monday as preparations intensified for Friday’s international friendly against Austria.
The session marked the team’s first full workout after officially opening camp on Sunday ahead of their upcoming fixtures.
Source: Twitter
Austria will host Ghana at the Ernst Happel Stadium in a key preparatory match for both nations ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scheduled to take place across Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Ghana have been drawn in Group I alongside England, Croatia, and Panama, while Austria will compete in Group J with Argentina, Algeria, and Jordan.
21 Black Stars players begin training
Monday’s one-hour training session was split between recovery and active drills.
Players who featured for their clubs over the weekend focused on recovery work, while others engaged in tactical exercises and shooting drills as the technical team began fine-tuning strategies for the friendly.
According to Ghanasoccernet, those present at training included Lawrence Ati-Zigi, Benjamin Asare, Joseph Anang, Patrick Pfeiffer, Derrick Luckassen, Derrick Kohn, Jerome Opoku, Caleb Yirenkyi, Kojo Oppong Pepprah, Jonas Adjetey, Marvin Senaya, and Gideon Mensah.
Also involved were Elisha Owusu, Ibrahim Sulemana, Kwasi Sibo, Jordan Ayew, Prince Kwabena Adu, Christopher Bonsu Baah, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku, Antoine Semenyo, Kamal Deen Sulemana, and Daniel Agyei.
Watch the training session:
Deputy captain Thomas Partey has now joined the squad in Vienna, bringing the total number of players in camp to 22, while Alexander Djiku and Kojo Oppong Pepprah are expected to arrive later.
The Black Stars will continue their preparations in Vienna ahead of the 17:00 GMT kickoff at the Ernst Happel Stadium, with the match forming a crucial part of their build-up to the World Cup.
Source: Twitter
Semenyo receives hero's welcome from Black Stars
Meanwhile, players of the Black Stars gave Antoine Semenyo a reception to remember after his Carabao Cup triumph, as a heartwarming moment in camp quickly spread across social media.
The Manchester City forward arrived in high spirits following his success at Wembley Stadium, and his Ghanaian international teammates made sure the moment did not pass quietly.
In a video now circulating online, Semenyo was greeted with a guard of honour as he entered camp.
Both players and members of the technical team lined up to welcome him, applauding and cheering as he jogged through, with playful pats on the back and chants filling the moment.
It was a simple gesture, but one that spoke volumes about the unity within the squad and the respect he has earned.
Fans were quick to react online as the clip gained traction.
Watch the video on X:
Semenyo equals Essien's 19-year milestone
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Antoine Semenyo made history by winning the Carabao Cup with Manchester City.
The 25-year-old became the first Ghanaian to achieve the feat since Michael Essien did so with Chelsea 19 years ago.
Source: YEN.com.gh
