Starting for his native Ghana in his 64th career cap, Columbus Crew SC defender Harrison Afful helped the Black Stars begin Confederation of African Football Third Round of FIFA World Cup qualifying with a scoreless draw in Tamale, Ghana, on Friday.
Ghana dominated the game with 57 percent possession, 19 total shots and nine corner kicks. Uganda was held to just five shots and two corners while committing 25 fouls in attempt to slow the Black Stars.
Ghana is grouped with Egypt, Congo and Uganda in Group E with the top team in the group following a double round robin directly qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
For Crew SC, Afful has appeared in 28 matches in 2016 — starting all of them — with two goals and three assists. He scored a screaming 8th minute goal in Crew SC's 3-0 win over the Chicago Fire in Columbus' last home match of the 2016 season on October 1.
HIGHLIGHTS: #CLBvCHI
Of the 28 players currently on the Black & Gold roster, 14 have received a senior National Team call-up throughout their careers (Afful, Corey Ashe, Conor Casey, Ethan Finlay, Waylon Francis, Ola Kamara, Cedrick Mabwati, Cristian Martinez, Justin Meram, Michael Parkhurst, Rodrigo Saravia,Zack Steffen, Tony Tchani, Wil Trapp).
The Black & Gold return to action on Thursday, October 13 when the club visits Bridgeview, Illinois to face the Chicago Fire (8:30 p.m. ET / MyTV Columbus, Time Warner Cable SportsChannel, BCSN2, CD102.5 FM, La Mega 103.1 FM, English radio stream available onColumbusCrewSC.com).
