Ghana was set to enter a new cycle with an already established squad. They will ultimately have to manage several adjustments ahead of their first official fixture. The Black Stars travel to Bouaké on Thursday to face Côte d'Ivoire, in a match that will kick off their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign. Carlos Queiroz has decided to expand his squad with nine additional players. This measure also applies to the two following fixtures, against Gambia on September 29 in Accra and then against Morocco in a friendly on October 4. The Ghana Football Association clarifies that these arrivals constitute reinforcements and not replacements.
Additional options across all positions
The Portuguese head coach has notably strengthened his defensive unit with Jonas Adjetey, Alidu Seidu, Ebenezer Annan and Rockson Yeboah. In midfield, Rahim Ibrahim comes to complement the available options, while the attack welcomes Brandon Thomas-Asante, Mohammed Fuseini, Benjamin Tetteh and Felix Afena-Gyan. This list reflects above all the staff's desire to have more solutions at their disposal during a period in which several individual situations are complicating preparations.
The immediate objective remains, however, to put together a team capable of approaching the trip to Côte d'Ivoire in the best possible conditions. The case of Mohammed Kudus represents the other major development. The player, expected to return after a lengthy absence, will ultimately not take part in the gathering. Carlos Queiroz explained that this decision was aimed at protecting his recovery. The Portuguese coach thus finds himself with a deeply reshuffled squad just days before an official match. A context that considerably reduces the time available for building combinations and making tactical choices ahead of the clash against the Éléphants.
Gyan, a new mission with the Black Stars
In this turbulent environment, Ghana will nonetheless be able to count on a particularly familiar figure. Asamoah Gyan is joining the national team's support staff, with a mission centred on accompanying the squad. The former captain and all-time top scorer in Black Stars history, with 51 goals, will not hold a coaching position.
His role will notably involve facilitating relations between the players, their clubs and the national team staff. This presence comes as Ghana embarks on a new chapter under Queiroz. It brings to the squad the experience of a former key figure of the national team, without however altering the immediate challenges facing the Portuguese coach.
On Thursday in Bouaké, Ghana will therefore need to quickly find their footing against a Côte d'Ivoire side also engaged in a period of transition with the return of Hervé Renard. For the Black Stars, the first deadline of this qualifying campaign thus arrives in a context where certainties remain still limited.
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À propos de l'auteur
El Hadji Malick SARR
Rédacteur sportif
Passionné de sport depuis toujours, partage avec vous les dernières actualités et analyses du monde sportif.