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Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah says tonight's international friendly against Mexico is vital for his team building effort ahead of the resumption of 2018 World Cup qualifiers later this year. Appiah has brought a reasonably strong side to Houston for the game against what is effectively a Mexico B side, with their main team competing at the ongoing FIFA Confederations Cup. The sub-standard nature of the Mexican side has drawn derision from several quarters in Ghana, but Appiah wants to count the positives. "My ambition has always been to build a strong Ghana side and this game allows us to do just that," he tells KweséESPN. "As you are all aware, we also don't have about four key players which affects our plans, but the chance to see other players is priceless for me." Ghana have travelled to Houston without the Ayew brothers, Daniel Amartey of Leicester City and Atletico Madrid's Thomas Partey. All three players cited objection from their clubs for sitting out. Appiah is also without Afriyie Acquah of Parma, who picked up a knock after that 5-0 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying win over Ethiopia a fortnight ago. But the Ghana boss has at his disposal many of the players who masterminded that victory, and there are also a number of players who would consider the game against Mexico a wonderful opportunity to press their case for a regular spot in the team. Jonathan Mensah, one of five Major League Soccer players in the side, is one such player, having lost his place to Amartey. "I am just happy to get the chance to play in this game. Hopefully I can make a case or two for the coach to see," Mensah says. His clubmate Mohammed Abu, out from the team since 2012, is also hopeful he will get the chance to impress, as will Chicago Fire's Davic Accam, fresh from his weekend hat-trick in the MLS. Appiah says he will be looking for signs of improvement, but adds that even in a friendly winning is important: "The signs are important, but for me every game is important. This is about the national team and every game counts because ultimately it affects rankings, it affects confidence, and it affects the mood we will carry into the next game [against the USA]." The match at the NRG Stadium (Thursday morning at 03:00 CAT) will be the second between Ghana and Mexico in the USA, and the third friendly in all between the two sides. Mexico have won the previous two, with the last coming nine years ago.
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