Pirates’ Ofori suffers World Cup injury heartbreak

Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Richard Ofori has been left out of Ghana’s 26-man squad for the 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar, with a knee injury reportedly ruling the 29 year-old out of the tournament.

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Reliable Ghanaian journalist Gary Al-Smith reported on Twitter on Sunday that Pirates had sent an MRI result to the Ghanaian Football Association, showing that Ofori had fluid on his knee, that would not heal in time for the World Cup.

And this was confirmed on Monday as Ghana did not name Ofori, usually their second-choice goalkeeper, in their squad for the World Cup, which starts on Sunday.

Ofori’s absence is another huge blow to Ghana’s goalkeeping department, with first-choice goalkeeper Joe Wollacott also ruled out of the competition with a finger injury.

The three goalkeepers that Ghana head coach Otto Addo has selected are Manaf Nurudeen of KAS Eupen in Belgium, Danlad Ibrahim of Ghana’s Asante Kotoko, and Lawrence Ati Zigi of St Gallen in Switzerland.

Ofori was set to be the Premier Soccer League’s only representative at the World Cup, but now there are none, though the league is now on a break until the end of the competition.