Ghana's national football team, the Black Stars, face a major setback ahead of their highly anticipated AFCON qualifier against Gambia on Tuesday. Defender Alexander Djiku, a key player for the team, has been ruled out of the match due to an injury sustained during Ghana's opening qualifier against Côte d'Ivoire. Despite his efforts to play through the pain, medical tests have confirmed that he won't recover in time for the crucial clash at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Djiku's injury woes are not new, as he had been struggling with the problem for three weeks prior to the Côte d'Ivoire match. In a post-match interview with 3Sports, he revealed that he had chosen to push through the pain for his country, stating that he would do everything possible to be fit for the next match. However, his determination has not been enough, and he will now miss the Gambia fixture, denying head coach Carlos Queiroz one of his most experienced centre-backs.
This is not the first time injury problems have interrupted Djiku's international career recently. He had already missed Ghana's entire 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign due to fitness issues, only returning to the Black Stars set-up in time for the start of the AFCON 2027 qualifiers. His latest absence compounds an already difficult defensive picture for Queiroz, who is now expected to reshuffle his backline.
Ghana's stumble to the bottom of Group C in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series means Tuesday's game against Gambia carries significant weight. A points system determines qualification for the continental tournament, and losing further ground in the early rounds could make later fixtures far harder for the Black Stars. Djiku's absence removes defensive experience and leadership at exactly the moment Queiroz needs it most.
The build-up to the match has already generated plenty of interest among fans, with VVIP tickets for the Accra Sports Stadium clash reportedly reaching GH₵700. Ghana's attacking options have also been thinned, after Antoine Semenyo withdrew from the squad with an ankle injury. On a brighter note for Queiroz, Ghana's goalkeeping department has drawn praise, with assistant coach Gaspar recently describing the team's shot-stoppers as among the best in Africa.
Ghana host Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium on Tuesday, September 29, needing a win to open their account in Group C after the opening-day defeat. Neither MyJoyOnline nor Pulse Ghana has given a timeline for Djiku's recovery or return to the squad, and no further update on his fitness has been made public. Jonas Adjetey, who impressed during the World Cup qualifying run, could be among those considered to fill the gap in the backline.
The Black Stars' coaching staff and fans will be eagerly waiting to see how the team performs without Djiku's defensive prowess. With the match just around the corner, Queiroz will have to make swift decisions to ensure the team's chances of qualification remain intact. The outcome of the match will be crucial in determining Ghana's prospects in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series.
Key points
- Alexander Djiku's injury will be a significant blow to Ghana's defense in their AFCON qualifier against Gambia.
- The match against Gambia is crucial for Ghana's qualification prospects in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
- Ghana's defensive lineup is expected to be reshuffled in light of Djiku's absence.
