By Dom Agbakpe,

Sweden-based forward Sherifatu Sumaila has earned a call-up into the Black Queens ahead of the 2018 African Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON).

She becomes the seventh professional player to join the team following Samira Suleman, who plays for Afturelding in Iceland, Linda Eshun, Priscilla Hagan of Romanian side CFF Olimpia – Janet Agyir, Elizabeth Addo of Western Sydney Wanderers FC in Australia and Alice Kusi of Lebanese side Zouk Mosbeh Girls FC.

Five more professional players namely – Faustina Ampah, Portia Boakye, Sandra Owusu Ansah, Wasila Diwura Soale and Priscilla Okyere are expected to arrive in the country next week after completing their club commitment.

With about 21 players presently at the Prampram camping base preparing for the championship.

Head coach, Bashir Hayford is expected to announce his 30 provisional squad to be presented to CAF by Friday, October 26.

Later the squad will be whittled down to 21 for the tournament.

This year’s edition, held in the West African nation for the first time serves as qualifiers for the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The top three teams will qualify for the World Cup to be staged in France in 2019.

The two-week tournament will hold from November 17 to December 1 and will be played across two cities – Accra and Cape Coast.

Ghana is placed in Group A with Cameroon, Algeria and Mali. The Black Queens will open their campaign against Algeria at the Accra Sports Stadium on November 1 before taking on Mali and Cameroon respectively.