Ghana's Black Stars suffered a 4-2 defeat to The Gambia in their second Group C match of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, held at the Accra Sports Stadium on Tuesday. The loss leaves Ghana without a point from their opening two matches, compounding a difficult start to the qualifying campaign. The team had been hoping to respond positively on home soil but instead suffered another setback.
Coach Carlos Queiroz defended his team selection after the match, insisting he had used the best players available to him. He challenged anyone who disagreed to suggest alternatives, stating that he had made decisions based on the players' fitness levels. Queiroz praised the impact of his second-half substitutes Ibrahim and Augustine, who he believed brought the team forward.
Despite the defeat, Queiroz remained optimistic about the team's chances, highlighting the positive contributions of his substitutes. However, he admitted that Ghana were unable to make the most of their opportunities, failing to capitalize on their scoring chances. The Portuguese coach emphasized that all his best available resources played in the match.
The defeat follows Ghana's 2-0 loss to Côte d'Ivoire in Bouaké last Thursday, leaving the team at the bottom of Group C without any points. The Black Stars had been hoping to revive their hopes of qualifying for the 2027 tournament but now face a difficult task. Ghana will return to action in October with a double-header against Somalia at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Ghana are attempting to return to the continental showpiece after missing the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, which ended their long-standing run of appearances at the tournament. The team's performance in the qualifiers has raised concerns about their ability to compete at the highest level. Queiroz will need to regroup his team and come up with a new strategy to revive their chances.
The Gambia's victory was a significant upset, as Ghana had taken a two-goal lead before the break. However, The Gambia staged a remarkable comeback in the second half, scoring four goals to seal the win. The result has boosted The Gambia's chances of qualifying for the 2027 AFCON, while Ghana's hopes are now hanging in the balance.
With the next matches against Somalia in October, Queiroz will need to assess his team's performance and make necessary adjustments to revive their chances of qualifying for the 2027 AFCON. The team's fans are eagerly awaiting a positive result to boost their hopes of returning to the continental showpiece.
Key points
- Carlos Queiroz defended his team selection after Ghana's 4-2 loss to The Gambia.
- Ghana are without a point from their opening two matches in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
- The team's next matches are against Somalia in October at the Accra Sports Stadium.
