Benjamin Asare All Smiles Ahead of Historic Black Stars Appearance in London
- Hearts of Oak goalkeeper Benjamin Asare is set to make his first international appearance for Ghana outside Africa
- The Black Stars take on West African rivals Nigeria on Wednesday in the much-anticipated 2025 Unity Cup match
- Asare's first two Ghana matches happened in Accra and Morocco against Chad and Madagascar, respectively
Hearts of Oak goalkeeper Benjamin Asare is riding a wave of momentum and pride as he prepares for his first international appearance with the Black Stars outside the African continent.
The 32-year-old shot-stopper is set to feature in Ghana’s highly anticipated Unity Cup clash against Nigeria.
Source: Twitter
The upcoming match marks not only another fierce encounter between two West African powerhouses but also a personal milestone for Asare, whose rapid rise to international football continues to gather pace.
Benjamin Asare's Ghana debut
Asare’s consistent displays between the posts earned him a surprise call-up to the senior national team earlier this year.
He emphatically made his debut for Ghana, keeping a clean sheet in a 5-0 drubbing of Chad during a FIFA World Cup qualifying match at the Accra Sports Stadium on March 21.
A second call-up came shortly after, this time in foreign territory, where Asare again showed his class by helping Ghana secure a 3-0 win against Madagascar in a qualifier held in Morocco, per the BBC.
With two clean sheets in his first two caps, the Hearts of Oak custodian is steadily cementing his place as one of the Black Stars’ top goalkeeping prospects.
Fast-rising Ghanaian football adminsitrator Oti Manu Joseph, speaking to YEN.com.gh backed Asare to shine in the London tournament.
''This is a high-profile friendly tournament where a fixture against rivals Nigeria await. Like I always say, when you are a local player and you gets such golden opportunities, you must cease with with both hands. I know he will come good agains as he did in his first two games,'' Oti Manu said.
When is the Ghana vs Nigeria Unity Cup match happening?
The eagerly-expected Nigeria vs Ghana will take place on Wednesday, May 28, at the Gtech Community Stadium in Brentford, London.
The tournament features four nations, namely Ghana, Nigeria, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago.
The latter teams will open the competition on Tuesday at the aforementioned stadium in the first semi-final contest of the 2025 Unity Cup, with the winner meeting the victor of the Ghana vs Nigeria clash in the final.
The match against Nigeria, a long-standing rival of Ghana in African football, brings with it not just bragging rights.
Benjamin Asare's first Black Stars outing abroad
Now poised to feature in his third game for the national team, Asare will step onto the pitch at the Gtech Community Stadium with excitement and resolve if Otto Addo selects him to start.
It will be his first appearance for Ghana outside Africa, a symbolic step forward for the many locally based players dreaming of global recognition.
Local players given major Black Stars shot
Asare’s inclusion and performances reflect the Black Stars’ recent focus on integrating locally based talents into the national setup.
For years, Ghana’s national team has been dominated by Europe-based professionals, but the tide appears to be shifting.
Source: Twitter
Head coach Otto Addo, earlier this year, explained why he picked Asare to start the recent World Cup qualifiers against Chad and Madagascar ahead of Joseph Wollacott and Lawrence Ati-Zigi.
It is inspiring that Black Stars coaches are beginning to recognie the wealth of talent within the domestic league, with four local players included in the Unity Cup squad according to the Ghana FA website.
Ghana vs Nigeria: Who is the favourite?
The Super Eagles are slight favourites. Though facing the Black Stars, regardless of Otto Addo's weakened side, is never an easy task.
Known for their big-game mentality, especially against rivals Nigeria, Ghana will pose a stern test for their opponents.
The Ghanaian side is boosted by the experienced shot-stopper, Asare, who appears unfazed, brimming with confidence in training ahead of the massive encounter.
Otto Addo's Ghana Unity Cup squad
YEN.com.gh earlier reported the squad selection of Ghana Black Stars head coach, Otto Addo, for the upcoming Unity Cup tournament.
Addo invited four local players and five debutants, as top internationals like Thomas Partey, Mohammed Kudus, and Antoine Semenyo were absent from the list.
Full Ghana squad for Unity Cup 2025
Goalkeepers: Lawrence Ati-Zigi, Benjamin Asare, Joseph Tetteh Anang
Defenders: Gideon Mensah, Ebenezer Annan, Mohammed Salisu, Stephen Ambrosius, Aaron Essel, Razak Simpson, Mamudu Kamaradini, Caleb Yirenkyi
Midfielders: Majeed Ashimeru, Abdul Salis Samed, Ibrahim Sulemana, Abu Francis, Lawrence Agyekum, Abdul Aziz Issah, Christopher Baah Bonsu
Attackers: Jordan Ayew, Felix Afena-Gyan, Thomas Asante, Kwame Opoku, Mohammed Gadafi Fuseini
Source: YEN.com.gh
