Ghana's national football team, the Black Stars, face an uphill battle to qualify for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations after suffering two consecutive defeats in their qualification campaign. Coach Ibrahim Tanko has been appointed as assistant coach under an interim technical arrangement and is confident that the team can overcome their troubled start. Tanko, who led Medeama SC to the Ghana Premier League title last season, believes Ghana possesses the quality and character to fight their way back into contention.
The Black Stars' qualification campaign got off to a rocky start with defeats to Côte d'Ivoire and The Gambia, prompting the departure of Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz. The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has since assembled an emergency technical team, with Black Queens coach Kim Lars Björkegren taking interim charge, supported by Tanko and former international Godwin Attram as assistants. Ex-Black Stars goalkeeper Fatawu Dauda will oversee goalkeeping duties.
Tanko's appointment represents both a privilege and an enormous responsibility, with Ghana desperately needing results to revive their continental ambitions. He told Joy Sports that national duty is something special and that he is proud to be contributing to the team's rescue mission. Tanko has served Ghana in different capacities, including assisting Kwasi Appiah during his second spell as Black Stars coach between 2017 and 2019.
The Black Stars' immediate challenge comes against Somalia in back-to-back Group C qualifiers on November 12 and 16. These fixtures could shape the direction of their recovery, and Tanko believes a positive response could restore confidence and provide the momentum needed for the more demanding encounters ahead. He stressed that the Somalia matches are the priority and that getting the right results will be crucial.
Beyond the results, Tanko considers rebuilding collective belief and restoring the players' sense of responsibility essential to reversing the team's fortunes. He believes Ghana has a very good squad with quality players who can compete, but that it is essential to get everyone to believe in the collective objective and understand the responsibility of wearing the national colours.
Tanko brings considerable experience to the assignment, having previously assisted Kwasi Appiah, managed the home-based Black Stars B, and coached the national Under-23 side, the Black Meteors. He is a UEFA A Licence holder and former Ghana international with 20 senior appearances. His return to national duty comes alongside his responsibilities at Medeama, where he has established himself among Ghana's leading domestic coaches.
The key challenge in the rescue mission is to translate the squad's undoubted potential into victories, beginning against Somalia, and restore belief that the Black Stars can still reach the 2027 AFCON being staged jointly by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. With the right results and a renewed sense of purpose, Tanko is confident that Ghana can overcome their challenges and revive their AFCON hopes.
Key points
- Coach Ibrahim Tanko aims to revive Black Stars' 2027 AFCON qualification hopes
- Ghana's Black Stars face Somalia in back-to-back Group C qualifiers on November 12 and 16
- Tanko believes rebuilding collective belief and restoring players' sense of responsibility is essential to reversing the team's fortunes
