AbdoelKarem Yagoub and Esmat Abdulhamid, two Sudanese players for Asante Kotoko, are said to have fled the team’s hotel after traveling to the United States for a friendly match against DC United.
On Saturday, October 12, 2024, Kotoko was scheduled to meet Major League Soccer team DC United following their victory against Hearts of Oak in the Democracy Cup.
As a part of the celebrations for Ghana Week DC 2024, the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) and the GFA host this yearly ceremonial match.
Together with head coach Dr. Prosper Ogum Narteh, seven players—AbdoelKarem Yagoub, Esmat Abdulhamid, Samba O’Neil, Emmanuel Antwi, Elvis Kyei Baffour, Camara Mohammed, and Justice Blay—had already left for the United States in the hopes that the remaining players would be granted visas to join them.
However, the club confirmed their withdrawal from the competition in a statement posted on Thursday, following last-ditch attempts to obtain visas for the remaining contingent that proved fruitless.
The communiqué also stated that Sunday, October 13, was the anticipated return date for the contingent that had already left.
Nhyira FM Sports sources said that club officials learned on Friday night that the two Sudanese players were missing from the team hotel and that all search attempts had been unsuccessful.
The participants had previously asked to go and exchange money, but their request had been turned down.
The players had discreetly left the team’s hotel, according to CCTV footage, and their locations were unknown.
To guarantee their safe return, team officials in the USA are currently looking for them.
