Defender Yaw Frimpong believes he has a real chance of making a start for Ghana in their opening 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Uganda on Saturday.

The 27-year-old was drafted into the side as a replacement for the injured Daniel Opare for this month’s games against Uganda and Togo.

Frimpong is regarded as one of the fringe players of the star-studded Black Stars squad and thus could only count himself lucky to be in the current squad.

The TP Mazembe full-back is yet to win his first cap for the Black Stars, usually remaining an unused substitute whenever he is handed an international call up.

But the ex Asante Kotoko player says he believes in his ability to start games for Ghana – beginning with the opening 2015 AFCON qualifier against Uganda on Saturday.

“Yes, I can start on Saturday,” he told GHANAsoccernet.com.

“But we have very good full backs like Harrison Afful who is there.

“If he plays ahead of me, he will have my support but then when I also play – ahead of Afful – he will also support me.”

Frimpong plays as a natural right-back for TP Mazembe but is also very effective on the opposite flanks.

He is in competition with the likes of Harrison Afful, Abdul Baba Rahman and Jeffrey Schlupp for a starting place in Saturday’s game against Uganda.