Ghana's national football team, the Black Stars, suffered a humiliating 4-2 defeat to The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium on Tuesday. The loss has left the team without a win in their last eight Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying matches. The defeat compounds Ghana's difficult start to the 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign, which began with a 2-0 loss to Côte d'Ivoire in their opening Group C fixture.
Black Stars head coach Carlos Queiroz attributed the team's struggles to a longer winless run, stating that the last time Ghana won a match in the qualifiers was eight games ago. He emphasized that the problems with Ghana's results in the qualifiers did not begin with his return to the national team. Queiroz returned to the team after Ghana's disappointing 2026 World Cup campaign, but the team has now suffered back-to-back defeats under his leadership.
The loss to Gambia has extended Ghana's struggles in AFCON qualifying, having failed to win any of their last eight matches in the competition. Ghana missed out on the 2025 AFCON after a poor qualifying campaign and now face an uphill task in their bid to secure a place at the 2027 tournament. The team will need a significant turnaround in their remaining qualifiers if they are to return to the continental showpiece.
The Gambia's victory over Ghana was part of a larger competitive matchday program. In other matches, Côte d'Ivoire secured a 2-0 win over Somalia, while other teams in the competition also recorded results. These outcomes have significant implications for the teams' prospects in the 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign.
In reaction to the defeat, Queiroz expressed disappointment and apologized for the team's performance. He acknowledged that the loss was a setback for the team and vowed to work towards improving their results in the future. The coach emphasized that he would not consider resigning, stating that his departure would not solve Ghana's football issues.
The Gambia's coach, also reacted to the match, stating that beating Ghana did not surprise him. He attributed his team's success to their preparation and strategy, which allowed them to capitalize on Ghana's weaknesses. The win has boosted Gambia's prospects in the competition, and they will look to build on this momentum in their future matches.
The defeat has also led to Morocco calling off a friendly match against Ghana, following the Black Stars' AFCON setback. This development reflects the challenges facing Ghana's national team as they seek to regroup and improve their performance in the wake of the disappointing results.
Key points
- Ghana's winless run in AFCON qualifiers has extended to eight games following their 4-2 defeat to Gambia.
- The team's struggles have compounded their difficult start to the 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign.
- Ghana's coach, Carlos Queiroz, has apologized for the team's performance and vowed to work towards improving their results.
