Sports World

Ghana's hopes of reaching the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations suffered a heavy blow on Tuesday night as The Gambia came from two goals down to win 4-2 at the Accra Sports Stadium, leaving the Black Stars pointless after two Group C matches.

For more than half an hour, it looked like the response Carlos Queiroz had promised. By the final whistle, it had become one of the most painful home results Ghana have suffered in years.

A bright start

Queiroz made three changes from the side beaten in Bouaké. Benjamin Asare started in goal, Jonas Adjetey came in for the injured Alexander Djiku, and Felix Afena-Gyan replaced Christopher Bonsu Baah.

Ghana started on the front foot. Midway through the first half, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku's corner from the right found Jerome Opoku, who was fouled in the box, and Ernest Nuamah converted the penalty into the bottom corner. Shortly afterwards, Afena-Gyan fired a low drive into the corner to double the lead and send the home crowd into celebration.

Gambia hit back before the break

The Gambia, playing without star forward Yankuba Minteh, refused to fold. Mohammed Badamosi pulled one back from the penalty spot in the 37th minute, and Ebrima Colley then found space in the box to equalise before half-time.

Queiroz said afterwards that those two goals in quick succession damaged his players' confidence and left them nervous, according to GhanaSoccernet.

The second-half collapse

The visitors came out transformed after the interval. Ghana made changes, sending on Benjamin Tetteh and Ibrahim Sulemana for Brandon Thomas-Asante and Kwasi Sibo, but the momentum stayed with The Gambia.

The decisive moment came in the 71st minute, when a swift counter-attack caught Ghana's defence exposed and Badamosi finished to put The Gambia 3-2 ahead. Queiroz sent on Augustine Boakye and Bonsu Baah in search of an equaliser, but Ghana struggled to break down a deep-lying Gambian defence. In the closing minutes, Colley struck again to seal a famous 4-2 win.

According to YEN.com.gh, Sports Minister Kofi Iddie Adams left the stadium while Ghana were trailing 3-2.

Queiroz: 'We have to say sorry'

A visibly disappointed Queiroz apologised to supporters after the match and said criticism should be aimed at him rather than his players, GhanaSoccernet reported.

Asked about calls for his resignation, the Portuguese coach said he would be the first to step down if he believed it would solve Ghana's problems, but that he did not share that view and would leave any decision to the Ghana Football Association. He also insisted that the defeat did not make him a loser, saying it would instead make him more alert to the lessons the team must learn, with or without him.

Where Ghana stand now

The numbers make grim reading. Ghana have lost both opening games and conceded six goals in the process. The Gambia lead Group C with six points, three clear of Ivory Coast, while the Black Stars sit bottom.

According to Africasoccer, Ghana have now gone eight AFCON qualifiers without a win, with their last victory in qualifying coming against the Central African Republic in September 2023.

There is still time to recover. With four matches remaining, 12 points are still available, and Ghana's next qualifiers are a double-header against Somalia, who are also yet to pick up a point. Anything less than two wins there, however, would leave the Black Stars facing the very real prospect of missing a second successive Africa Cup of Nations.

Photo: Jeanpierrekepseu / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0