Ghana's national football team, the Black Stars, suffered a second consecutive defeat in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification campaign, losing 4-2 to The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium on September 27. The Portuguese coach, Carlos Queiroz, attributed the team's struggles to a lack of unity and called for solutions to be found to restore the team's cohesion. The Black Stars are currently bottom of Group C with zero points from their opening two matches.
The match against The Gambia started promisingly for Ghana, with Ernest Nuamah scoring from a penalty spot and Felix Afena Gyan adding a well-executed free kick to give the home side a 2-0 lead. However, The Gambia staged a dramatic comeback before halftime, with Mohamed Badamosi reducing the deficit from a penalty and captain Omar Colley equalizing. The visitors completed their turnaround after the restart, with Ebrima Colley scoring the winning goal.
Queiroz rejected the suggestion that the Black Stars themselves are the source of Ghanaian football's problems, instead emphasizing the need for solutions to be found to bring the team together. He acknowledged the severity of the defeat and apologized to Ghanaian supporters, stressing that the loss should provide valuable lessons for the technical team and players. The coach's future with the Ghana Football Association remains uncertain.
The defeat to The Gambia has left Ghana facing a difficult task in their qualification campaign, with four Group C matches still to play. The remaining fixtures include a two-match confrontation with Somalia in November, followed by meetings with Côte d'Ivoire and The Gambia in March 2027. The top two teams in each group will qualify for the tournament.
Ghana's struggles are particularly significant given their failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco after a winless qualifying campaign. The team is seeking to secure a return to the finals when the 2027 competition is staged in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda from June 19 to July 17, 2027.
Queiroz has indicated that his future ultimately rests with the Ghana Football Association, while maintaining that resignation would not automatically resolve the broader challenges confronting the national team. The coach's focus will now shift to rebuilding the team, correcting defensive shortcomings, and recovering points in the remaining matches.
The Black Stars' next matches will be crucial in determining their chances of qualifying for the 2027 AFCON. The team's performance against Somalia in November will be closely watched, as Ghana seeks to revive its campaign for a place at the tournament. The top two teams in groups without a co-host will qualify for the tournament.
Key points
- Ghana's Black Stars suffered a 4-2 defeat to The Gambia in their AFCON qualification match.
- Coach Carlos Queiroz attributed the team's struggles to a lack of unity and called for solutions to be found.
- Ghana faces a difficult task in their qualification campaign, with four Group C matches still to play.
