Ghana’s desperate bid to revive their faltering 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign has suffered a fresh scare, with Manchester City forward Antoine Semenyo facing an anxious injury assessment barely three weeks before the Black Stars' crucial double-header against Somalia.
For newly appointed interim head coach Kim Lars Björkegren and his assistants, Ibrahim Tanko and Godwin Attram, the uncertainty surrounding Ghana’s most potent attacking weapon could hardly have come at a worse time.
With the Black Stars rooted to the bottom of Group C following successive defeats to Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia, the technical team desperately needs its strongest possible squad to secure six points against Somalia and revive a campaign already threatening another painful AFCON failure.
Semenyo, whose explosive pace, physical power and attacking versatility make him one of Ghana’s most dangerous forwards, appeared to sustain a knee injury during Manchester City’s hard-fought 3-2 Premier League victory over Ipswich Town at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
Introduced for Jeremy Doku in the 77th minute, the 26-year-old appeared visibly uncomfortable towards the end of the contest before hobbling straight down the tunnel in added time, raising immediate concerns about his fitness.
Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca later confirmed that Semenyo was the only player whose condition required further assessment, despite several teammates also picking up knocks.
“The only worry was Antoine, and we will see,” Maresca said.
Erling Haaland, Nico O’Reilly, Matheus Nunes and Mateo Kovacic also experienced physical problems during the match, but Maresca indicated that their situations were less concerning.
For Ghana, however, the uncertainty surrounding Semenyo carries far greater consequences than another injury concern at club level.
The Manchester City attacker missed September’s opening qualifiers, when Ghana suffered a 2-0 defeat to Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké before collapsing to a humiliating 4-2 home loss against The Gambia, despite establishing a two-goal lead.
Those results left the Black Stars without a point from two matches and ultimately contributed to the departure of Carlos Queiroz, plunging the national team into another coaching transition.
Semenyo’s anticipated return had offered hope of injecting greater penetration, pace and goal threat into an attack that struggled for consistency during the opening fixtures.
His ability to operate across the frontline, stretch defences and create opportunities through direct running would give the interim coaches important tactical options against Somalia.
Losing him again would therefore represent a significant blow to a side already under pressure to deliver an immediate response.
Björkegren, who also coaches the Black Queens, has been handed temporary responsibility for the November fixtures following a recommendation by the Black Stars Coach Search Committee.
He will be supported by Tanko and Attram, with former Ghana goalkeeper Fatawu Dauda overseeing the goalkeepers, while the search for a substantive successor to Queiroz continues.
There is, nevertheless, encouraging news elsewhere for the Ghana manager. Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Mohammed Kudus, another notable absentee during September’s qualifiers, has returned to competitive action following a lengthy injury lay-off, potentially strengthening Ghana’s attacking options.
Captain Jordan Ayew also offered reassurance by featuring for Sheffield United in last Saturday’s 1-0 Championship victory over Bristol City, earning praise from manager Chris Wilder.
Defensively, Mohammed Salisu is gradually rebuilding his match fitness after an eight-month absence caused by an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
The AS Monaco centre-back played approximately an hour in last Thursday’s UEFA Conference League victory over CSKA Sofia before completing 66 minutes against Lorient in Sunday’s French Ligue 1 encounter.
His return provides another potential boost, although his readiness for demanding international fixtures will require careful assessment.
