The Black Stars will be looking to put their disappointing start to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers behind them when they host The Gambia in today’s game at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Ghana suffered a 2-0 defeat to Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké in their opening Group C fixture, leaving Carlos Queiroz’s side under pressure to respond on home soil.
Malick Yalcouye opened the scoring for the Ivorians before Franck Kessie converted from the penalty spot to seal victory and leave Ghana without a point from their first outing.
The Gambia, meanwhile, arrive in Accra with three points already secured after edging Somalia 2-1 in their opening qualifier on Friday.
The Scorpions are therefore joint-top of Group C alongside Côte d’Ivoire, while Ghana must win to avoid falling further behind the early leaders.
The Black Stars are seeking a return to the AFCON after missing the 2025 tournament in Morocco, making Tuesday’s encounter particularly important in their qualification campaign.
For The Gambia, the objective will be to build on their winning start and leave Accra with a result that would strengthen their position in the group.
Ghana Need a Response
Ghana will be without defender Alexander Djiku, who suffered an injury during the defeat to Côte d’Ivoire and has since returned to his club, Spartak Moscow.
Queiroz confirmed at Monday’s pre-match press conference that 22 players are available, with Ronald Donkor the only remaining doubt.
“The only player that is still in doubt is Ronald Donkor. We hope that he can at least be on the bench tomorrow to give his contribution. Otherwise, all the other players trained normally in good condition, in good shape and we are ready for the game.”
Carlos Queiroz, Black Stars head coach
The Portuguese coach has demanded greater control of possession and improved finishing from his players. “We have to have the ball with us, recover the ball, keep the ball, and play with a positive mind to score. If our defining moments get better, we’re very close to winning,” he said.
Queiroz has also urged supporters to focus their backing on the players available for Tuesday’s encounter as Ghana seek their first points of the campaign.
“We only need the ones that come here to support the players that are here to perform. Those 22 players are the most important players of the Black Stars now.”
Carlos Queiroz, Black Stars head coach
Gambia Face Ghana Without Key Players
Just like Ghana, The Gambia will also be missing several important players, most notably Brighton winger Yankuba Minteh, who is unavailable after suffering a right-leg injury during pre-season.
Musa Barrow, Abdoulie Manneh and Adama Sidibeh are also ruled out, with captain Omar Colley is expected to provide leadership for the Scorpions in Accra.
Assistant coach Abdou Jammeh believes The Gambia can cope with their absences by relying on the players available in camp.
He noted that both teams have key players missing, but stressed that the unavailable Gambian players account for “24 goals,” highlighting their importance to the squad.
Jammeh also pointed to the difference in preparation between the two teams, noting that Ghana had the benefit of spending time together during their 2026 World Cup campaign while they have had only ten days in the last six months to come together again.
Nevertheless, The Gambia will take confidence from their opening victory over Somalia and attempt to frustrate Ghana in front of their home supporters.
Ghana Boast Strong Head to Head Record
The historical record between the two sides also provides an intriguing backdrop. Ghana lead the senior head-to-head 3-1 in the four recorded meetings, although The Gambia claimed a 3-0 victory in 1993.
Ghana won the most recent meeting 2-1 in Bakau in 1994, while their biggest victory came in 1978 when they defeated The Gambia 7-1.
Tuesday’s meeting will therefore be the first competitive senior encounter between the two nations with their previous games coming in friendlies.
With Ghana needing a response and The Gambia looking to consolidate their winning start, the Accra Sports Stadium is set for an important Group C encounter.
Match Details
Match: Ghana vs The Gambia
Competition: 2027 AFCON Qualifiers, Group C, Matchday 2
Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2026
Kick-off: 4:00pm GMT
Venue: Accra Sports Stadium, Accra
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