Sammy Kuffour has been excluded from the Ghanaian squad facing Uganda in Saturday's opening African Nations Cup qualifying match.

But Yugoslav coach Milan Zivadinovic, taking charge of his first competitive match for Ghana, did not rule out Kuffour's return to the national team in the near future.

Kuffour, the current BBC African Footballer of the Year, was thrown out of the Ghanaian camp at the last Nation's Cup tournament in Mali, following accusations of indiscipline by team officials.

Mixed grill

Zivadinovic picked thirteen foreign-based players for the Uganda game, with recalls for Otto Addo of Borussia Dortmund and Stephen Appiah of Brescia.

The Black Stars' preparation for the game has been far from smooth, with the cancellation of two proposed trips to Europe.

A planned two-game tour of Turkey was called off due to travel problems and a friendly against Yugoslavian side Obilic did not take place for unknown reasons.

Zivadinovic said he was unhappy with the cancellation of the friendly matches but insists his side will emerge victorious in Kampala.

"From what I hear, the Ugandans are very good, which means they will be difficult to beat at home.

"But we have better quality players than they do and we will win," he said.

Squad

Goalkeepers:

Sammy Adjei (Hearts of Oak) and George Owu (Asante Kotoko)

Defenders:

John Mensah (Chievo Verona, Italy), Kofi Amponsah (PAOK Salonika, Greece), Daniel Edusei (Egalou, Greece), Yakubu Abubakari(Ajax, Holland), Christian Gyan (Feyernord, Holland), Daniel Yeboah (Liberty, Ghana) and Joe Hendricks (Asante Kotoko, Ghana).

Midfielders:

Edmund Copson, (Hearts of Oak, Ghana), Stephen Appiah (Brescia, Italy), Hans Sarpei (Wolfsburg, Germany), Michael Essien (Bastia, France), Razak Ibrahim (Saint Etienne, France), Sule Muntari(Udinese, Italy), Derek Boateng (Panathinaikos, Greece) and Otto Addo (Borussia Dortmund, Germany).

Forwards:

Ohene Kennedy (Ankaragucu, Turkey), Augustine Ahinful (Ankaragucu, Turkey) and Charles Taylor (Hearts of Oak, Ghana).