Ghana's national football team, the Black Stars, is set to face Côte d'Ivoire in their opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture at the Stade de la Paix in Bouaké on Thursday, September 24. Coach Carlos Queiroz is navigating a heavily disrupted squad as he prepares his starting eleven. Several senior figures will be absent from the encounter, including captain Jordan Ayew, Mohammed Kudus, and Antoine Semenyo, who have all withdrawn from the squad.
Thomas Partey remains unavailable through injury, adding to Queiroz's selection headache. The absences place considerable pressure on Queiroz to construct a reliable and cohesive unit from those remaining. In response, Queiroz is expected to set up in a 4-3-3 shape, with Lawrence Ati-Zigi starting between the posts. Kojo Oppong Peprah and Gideon Mensah look set to fill the full-back roles, with Jerome Opoku and Alexander Djiku forming the central defensive partnership.
In the centre of the pitch, Kwasi Sibo could operate alongside Caleb Yirenkyi and Augustine Boakye, offering energy and ball-winning presence in a midfield that will need to work hard against a quality Ivorian attack. Up front, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku is tipped to start on the right flank, with Brandon Thomas-Asante leading the line and Ernest Nuamah providing width and pace from the left.
YEN.com.gh's predicted Black Stars lineup is as follows: Ati-Zigi; Oppong, Adjetey, Opoku, Mensah; Yirenkyi, Sibo, Donkor; Issahaku, Thomas-Asante, Nuamah. One notable trend from Queiroz's early tenure could prove instructive, as Ghana have remained unbeaten in all games where they avoided conceding before half-time.
With that in mind, the Black Stars are likely to prioritise defensive organisation and compactness in the early stages of the match, before attempting to use their attacking pace to threaten a Côte d'Ivoire side with considerable quality going forward. Côte d'Ivoire's coach, Hervé Renard, has issued a warning to Ghana ahead of the clash, highlighting the challenges that lie ahead for Queiroz's side.
Carlos Queiroz is determined to start Ghana's 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign with a win against Côte d'Ivoire. The Portuguese coach made his intentions clear, saying the Black Stars' main objective in Bouaké is to secure victory. Queiroz's side will need to be at their best to achieve this goal, given the quality of their opponents.
The match against Côte d'Ivoire marks the beginning of Ghana's 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign, and a win would provide a significant boost to their chances of progressing to the tournament. The Black Stars will be looking to build on their recent performances and make a strong statement in the qualifying campaign.
Key points
- Ghana's Black Stars face Côte d'Ivoire in their opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture
- Coach Carlos Queiroz is navigating a heavily disrupted squad due to several senior players being unavailable
- Queiroz's side will need to prioritise defensive organisation and compactness to achieve a positive result against a quality Ivorian side
