COLUMBUS — Columbus Crew SC today announced that four of its players have received international call-ups: Mohammed Abu, Harrison Afful, Jonathan Mensah and Jukka Raitala.
Abu, Afful and Mensah are set to join Ghana ahead of a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifier against Ethiopia on June 11. The Black Stars then play a friendly against Mexico on June 28 followed by a friendly against the United States on July 1. Raitala is set to join Finland ahead of its friendly against Liechtenstein tomorrow, June 7, and a FIFA World Cup Qualifier against Ukraine on June 11.
Ghana is in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations Qualification Group F along with Ethiopia, Sierra Leone and Kenya. The winner of Group F automatically qualifies to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. Ghana has reached the semifinals in each of the last three Africa Cup of Nations tournaments. The Black Stars are set to host Ethiopia in Kumasi on June 11, with the match marking Ghana’s first match of the qualification round. The Black Stars then travel to the U.S. for a friendly against Mexico at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas on June 28, followed by a friendly against the U.S. at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field in Hartford, Connecticut on July 1.
Abu has earned three caps for Ghana, the most recent of which came against Mali in the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations’ Third Place Match. This season, he has made 10 regular-season appearances (six starts) for Crew SC.
Afful has earned 71 caps for Ghana, with his last cap coming against Burkina Faso in the Third Place Match of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (February 4). He was a member of the Ghana National Team during the last four editions of the Africa Cup of Nations, playing every minute of the 2013, 2015 and 2017 editions. Afful is a World Cup veteran, having been a member of Ghana’s roster during the 2014 edition of the tournament. He has made 11 appearances (10 starts) for the Black & Gold in the 2017 regular season.
Mensah has represented the Black Stars on 53 occasions, with his last match also coming against Burkina Faso in the Third Place Match of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations. He has participated in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. Mensah featured for Ghana in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, making two group stage appearances and playing in a Round of 16 contest against the U.S., helping the Black Stars reach the quarterfinals. In 2014, he started in every group stage match of Ghana’s World Cup campaign. Mensah has made 11 regular-season appearances (10 starts) for Crew SC this year.
Finland hosts Liechtenstein for a friendly at Veritas Stadion tomorrow, June 7, before hosting Ukraine in a 2018 World Cup Qualifier at Tampere Stadium on June 11, 2017. Finland is in Group I of UEFA’s First Round of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualification, along with Ukraine, Iceland, Turkey and Kosovo. The teams that finish in first place of each group automatically qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, while the eight best runners-up across all groups advance to a two-leg playoff series, with the winners of each series qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Finland is currently in fifth place of the group with a record of 0-1-4.
Raitala’s most recent appearance for Finland came earlier this year as a starter during an away match against Austria in which he played the entire 90 minutes (March 28), earning his 36th cap. The defender joined Crew SC as a Discovery Signing on December 23, 2016. To date, Raitala has made 12 appearances (10 starts) for the Black & Gold, registering two assists.
Crew SC’s 2017 roster features 12 players that have received a senior National Team call-up throughout their careers (Abu, Afful, Ethan Finlay, Waylon Francis, Ola Kamara, Cristian Martinez, Mensah, Justin Meram, Raitala, Rodrigo Saravia, Zack Steffen, Wil Trapp).
Crew SC next faces a June 17 match in Atlanta against MLS-expansion side Atlanta United comes next with a 7 p.m. ET kickoff in regular-season action. Crew SC next plays the Montreal Impact at MAPFRE Stadium on Saturday, June 24 with a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff. Enjoy half-off select beers (for supporters ages 21-and-over), Pepsi products, brats and pretzels through the 15th minute.
concession items subject to change
The Black & Gold welcome German Bundesliga-side and DFB Pokal-finalist Eintracht Frankfurt to MAPFRE Stadium for an international friendly on Monday, July 17. The match is set to kick off at 7:30 p.m.
