Hamburger SV forward Ransford Yeboah Königsdörffer has received a late invitation to join the Black Stars camp in Vienna, stepping in for injured duo Iñaki Williams and Brandon Thomas-Asante ahead of Ghana’s upcoming international friendlies.
The 22-year-old has already arrived in Vienna and is scheduled to train with the squad.
The development comes as a double blow to head coach Otto Addo, who had been counting on the experience and sharpness of both Williams and Thomas-Asante in his attacking plans for the two-match series.
Brandon Thomas-Asante featured for Coventry City in their 3-0 win over Swansea City but was replaced by Josh Eccles in the 62nd minute after picking up a knock.
The English Championship striker, who has been among the more consistent Ghanaian forwards in recent months, was forced to withdraw from national team duty as a result.
Meanwhile, Williams completed the full 90 minutes for Athletic Bilbao in their win against Real Betis. However, post-match medical examinations revealed that the forward had also sustained a knock, ruling him out of the trip to Vienna.
The injuries to the two key forwards have handed Königsdörffer a timely opportunity to cement his place in Otto Addo’s plans.
The 22-year-old has been instrumental for his club in the ongoing Bundesliga campaign, having scored four goals in 26 appearances.
His direct style of play and ability to hold the ball up in tight areas make him a natural fit for the role vacated by the two absentees.
Hamburger SV were quick to congratulate their man on the call-up, sharing the news on their official social media channels and wishing him well ahead of the camp.
It is not the first time Königsdörffer has been thrust into the Black Stars fold at short notice. Back in November 2024, he was among the replacements called up when mass withdrawals hit the team ahead of the AFCON qualifiers against Angola and Niger.
That experience of stepping into the breach should serve him well this time around.
Ghana will begin their friendly matches against Austria on Friday, March 27, at the Ernst Happel Stadium, before facing Germany — the 2014 World Champions — on Monday, March 30, in Stuttgart.
The Black Stars opened camp on Monday, March 23, with 21 players from the 26-man squad named by Otto Addo in attendance.
The Vienna friendlies form part of Ghana’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be hosted across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
For Königsdörffer, the call-up — however it came about — is another chance to make a case for a regular starting berth in the Black Stars. He will be eager to grab it with both hands.
