The Black Stars of Ghana will face Niger today in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier without forward Joseph Paintsil.

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The match will kick off at 15:00 GMT in Berkane, Morocco.

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According to head coach Otto Addo, Paintsil is unavailable due to issues with his US work permit and has been granted permission to visit the US Embassy to resolve the matter.

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Paintsil, who came off the bench during Ghana's opening match of the qualifiers against Angola last weekend, was expected to feature in today’s clash against Niger. However, the LA Galaxy forward was not part of the squad that traveled to Morocco for the game, as the work permit issue required urgent attention.

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Head coach Otto Addo explained the situation, stating, "He [Jerome Opoku] will be out for this game. Also, Joseph Paintsil, there is some issue with his work permit for the US. For that, he has to go to the US Embassy. The procedure takes some days. We needed his passport when he wanted to come to Morocco. We couldn't take him there. We were hoping he would finish everything fast at the US Embassy. But, like I said, I think it takes more than three, four, five days. He had to do it because otherwise, he couldn't return to his club in the US. So, both of them will not be available."

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Jerome Opoku, another key player, is also ruled out of the match due to separate concerns. Despite these absences, the Black Stars are determined to bounce back after a challenging start and secure a victory against Niger.

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