Ghana’s AFCON campaign misfired at the first turn in Bouaké. Against The Gambia in Accra tomorrow (Tuesday), the Black Stars must get the engine running, and Coach Carlos Queiroz needs more than three points to convince an increasingly anxious football nation that his rebuilding project is heading in the right direction.
Three successive competitive defeats have stripped away the comfort of excuses. After last Thursday’s 2-0 loss to Côte d’Ivoire left Ghana bottom of Group C without a point, victory at the Accra Sports Stadium has become imperative, just as the manner in which the Black Stars seek to sting the Scorpions to restart the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign and begin repairing confidence in a team whose recent results have raised uncomfortable questions.
Goalkeepers’ coach Daniel Gaspar has urged supporters not to allow the disappointment of Bouaké to weaken their belief, calling on them to become Ghana’s “12th player” as the team attempts to reignite its AFCON campaign and win back the fans.
“It is not the result we wanted but it is what it is. Cote d’Ivoire are one of the top teams in Africa; we have to respect that, but we are ready for the next game,” Gaspar said.
“Our mission is to beat Gambia here at home in front of our fans.”
The Black Stars resumed training last Saturday and completed preparations this afternoon, with Gaspar urging supporters to turn the stadium into an advantage rather than allow frustration over recent results to drain the atmosphere.
“What I do ask of the fans is that they are our 12th player. That’s a very important player — the 12th player — to support and push the team.
It’s incredible how that will help in achieving our mission,” he said.
Coventry City striker Brandon Thomas-Asante reinforced the call for massive home support tomorrow. “We want to win these games, so we will put things right. We are at home, and we have got our people behind us, so we are going to give our all.”
Queiroz demands response
Coach Queiroz said Ghana created four clear opportunities through vertical movements against Côte d’Ivoire but failed to convert them.
Against The Gambia, he is likely to demand greater verticality, quicker attacking execution and, crucially, sharper finishing.
He could reshuffle his forward line after the blunt display in Bouaké. One selection debate surrounds the goalkeepers.
Hearts of Oak’s Benjamin Asare has strong backing after recording clean sheets, including two at the 2026 World Cup, while Lawrence Ati-Zigi started in Bouaké and Joseph Anang completes the trio.
Scorpions carry a sting
Ghana cannot assume their superior pedigree will settle the contest, as the Gambia arrive with three points after beating Somalia 2-1 last Friday and sit second on the log, level with Côte d’Ivoire, while Ghana prop up the group.
Coach Johnathan McKinstry has been developing a 3-4-3 built around aggressive pressing, a higher defensive position, width and pace on the flanks — ingredients capable of disrupting Ghana’s build-up and exploiting space behind the full-backs.
Brighton winger Yankuba Minteh remains unavailable through injury, removing one of their most dangerous pace threats. Yet even after beating Somalia, Minteh warned that the Scorpions “have to add more if we want to qualify for the AFCON again”.
Ghana have history on their side. The Black Stars have won six of eight previous meetings, drawing one and losing one.
Their last recorded encounter ended in a 2-1 Ghana victory during the 1994 AFCON qualifiers, making tomorrow’s clash their first senior meeting in more than three decades.
Ghana’s head coach also faces uncertainty over the fitness of experienced Alexander Djiku, who was withdrawn after 71 minutes against Côte d’Ivoire with an apparent lower-body muscle problem.
The Spartak Moscow defender, only recently back with the Black Stars after missing the World Cup through injury, is racing against time. Ghana could rest him rather than risk aggravating the problem, with Jonas Adjetey — his replacement in Bouaké — among Queiroz’s alternatives. No other new injury has been reported.
Djiku, who provides experience and steel at the back, remains determined to play. “We fought well as a team, and I’m proud of the young guys,” he said, while acknowledging that conceding before half-time and then a penalty complicated Ghana’s attempted recovery.
The mathematics adds urgency. Only the top two teams qualify for next June’s AFCON finals in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, leaving Ghana little room for further damage.
With four group matches remaining after tomorrow’s encounter, victory over The Gambia is essential to drag the Black Stars back into the qualification race before attention shifts to the October 4 friendly against Morocco.
