Ghana's goalkeeper coach Dan Gaspar has made a bold claim about the country's goalkeeping unit, stating that they are the finest in Africa. Gaspar's comments come ahead of Tuesday's 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium. He singled out Lawrence Ati-Zigi, Benjamin Asare, and Joseph Anang as an exceptional group, expressing full confidence in the trio.
The goalkeeping unit has been included in Carlos Queiroz's squad for the qualifier, with Ati-Zigi being a consistent presence since the appointment of the Portuguese tactician. Asare served as the first-choice goalkeeper during the majority of Ghana's 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, while Anang provides a third option as Queiroz looks to build competition across the squad.
Ghana enters Tuesday's fixture under pressure following a difficult start to their qualifying campaign. The Black Stars fell to a 2-0 defeat against Côte d'Ivoire in Bouaké in their opening match, with Malick Yalcouyé and Franck Kessié both scoring to hand the hosts a comfortable victory. Ati-Zigi started that game and conceded once in each half, while Asare and Anang remained unused throughout.
In contrast, The Gambia opened their campaign with a 2-1 win over Somalia, which means they arrive in Accra in confident form. This result makes the contest all the more significant for the Black Stars, who need a positive result to avoid falling further behind early in the qualifying standings.
Earlier, Carlos Queiroz had urged Ghana to improve their attacking efficiency ahead of the Black Stars’ clash with The Gambia. The Portuguese coach identified the attack as an area that needs improvement as Ghana chases their first AFCON qualifying win since September 2023.
Gaspar will be hoping that the belief he has shown in his goalkeepers translates into a strong collective performance as Ghana looks to turn their campaign around on home soil. The coach's confidence in his goalkeepers is a boost to the team as they seek to bounce back from their opening defeat.
The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against The Gambia is a crucial match for the Black Stars, and a positive result will be essential to keep their qualifying hopes alive. With Gaspar's confidence in the goalkeeping unit, Ghana will look to build on this strength and secure a win against The Gambia.
Key points
- Dan Gaspar has labeled Ghana's goalkeeping unit, comprising Lawrence Ati-Zigi, Benjamin Asare, and Joseph Anang, the best in Africa.
- Ghana is under pressure to secure a positive result against The Gambia following their 2-0 defeat to Côte d'Ivoire in their opening qualifying match.
- The Gambia arrives in Accra in confident form after opening their campaign with a 2-1 win over Somalia.
