Columbus Crew SC today announced that two of its players have received international call-ups from their respective federations: Harrison Afful (Ghana) and Cedrick Mabwati (DR Congo). Both players join their National Teams in advance of international friendly matches in addition to qualification contests for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.
Afful and Ghana are slated to play a friendly match against Guinea on May 28 in Paris before they take on Mauritius in Port Louis on June 5 in Group H qualification for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations. The Black Stars currently are atop their group with 10 points from four games played and can clinch qualification into the final tournament with a victory over Club M. Afful has earned 60 caps all-time for Ghana, with his last coming in AFCON qualification earlier this season on March 27.
Mabwati joins DR Congo ahead of three contests: two international friendlies and one qualification match for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations. The Leopards play friendlies against Romania on May 25 in Como, Italy and against Egypt on May 30 in Alexandria before facing Madagascar in AFCON qualification in Antananarivo on June 5. DR Congo currently is atop Group B with nine points from its first four matches. Mabwati has earned 16 caps for the Leopards throughout his career with his last coming on November 12, 2015 in FIFA World Cup qualification against Burundi.
Of the 25 players currently on the Black & Gold active roster, 14 have received a senior National Team call-up throughout their careers (Afful, Corey Ashe, Conor Casey, Ethan Finlay, Waylon Francis, Ola Kamara, Emil Larsen, Mabwati, Cristian Martinez, Justin Meram, Michael Parkhurst, Rodrigo Saravia, Tony Tchani, Wil Trapp).
The Black & Gold continue the 2016 Major League Soccer campaign by hosting Real Salt Lake at MAPFRE Stadium this Saturday, May 28 (7:30 p.m. ET / The CW Columbus, Time Warner Cable SportsChannel, BCSN2, CD102.5 FM, La Mega 103.1 FM, English radio stream on ColumbusCrewSC.com).
