Former Sports Minister Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye has strongly criticized Ghana's performance in their 4-2 defeat by The Gambia in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers. Vanderpuye described the performance as the poorest he has witnessed in his years of following the Black Stars. The defeat has left Ghana bottom of Group C without a point from their first two matches.
Ghana suffered a second consecutive defeat in the qualifiers after surrendering a two-goal lead against The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium on Tuesday. The Black Stars had opened their campaign with a 2-0 defeat by Ivory Coast last Thursday. Vanderpuye expressed his concerns about the team's performances, which had been raised before the 2026 World Cup but were not adequately addressed.
Vanderpuye, who served as Sports Minister from 2016 to 2017, stated that he has never seen a Black Stars performance as poor as the one against The Gambia. He mentioned that these concerns were raised before the World Cup, but people sometimes think they are being overly critical of the team. The result has put further pressure on coach Carlos Queiroz and his team.
The Black Stars had appeared to be in control after taking a 2-0 lead but collapsed in the second half as The Gambia scored four times to complete a dramatic comeback. Ghana will have an opportunity to revive their qualification campaign in October when they face Somalia in a double-header at the Accra Sports Stadium.
The Black Stars are attempting to return to the continental tournament after failing to qualify for the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, ending a run of more than two decades of consecutive appearances. Vanderpuye's criticism adds to the growing pressure on the team and its management. The team's poor performance has sparked calls for the resignation of the Ghana Football Association and the team's management.
Other stakeholders, including former Mayor of Accra and Karim Grusah, have called for the dissolution of the Black Stars and the GFA, and for Kurt Okraku to resign. The team's poor performance has sparked widespread criticism and concern among football fans and stakeholders in Ghana.
Ghana's next matches against Somalia in October will be crucial in determining their chances of qualifying for the 2027 AFCON. The team's performance will be closely watched, and any further poor results could lead to more significant changes in the team's management and composition.
Key points
- Former Sports Minister Nii Lante Vanderpuye has criticized Ghana's performance in their 4-2 defeat by The Gambia.
- The defeat has left Ghana bottom of Group C without a point from their first two matches.
- The team's poor performance has sparked calls for the resignation of the Ghana Football Association and the team's management.
