- Black Stars Target Second Somalia Win to Revive AFCON Campaign
Ghana’s bid to revive its 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign reaches a crucial point on Monday, when the Black Stars host Somalia at the Essipong Sports Stadium in Sekondi.
Interim coach Kim Lars Björkegren wants his team to complete the November double-header with six points after Thursday’s 2-0 victory in the first meeting.
That win, secured by goals from Jonas Adjetey and Felix Afena-Gyan, gave Ghana its first points in Group C. The Black Stars had opened the campaign with defeats to Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia, leaving them under pressure to recover ground in the qualification race.
A second win would not erase those setbacks, but it would give the team a stronger platform from which to pursue its place in the tournament.
“The most important thing is to make sure we take six points in this camp,” Björkegren said ahead of the return match.
His message is both an immediate target and a measure of the challenge facing the team: Ghana need to build on the first result, avoid complacency and make their dominance count.
The coach was encouraged by the second-half performance in Thursday’s match but said Ghana could have scored more after creating several opportunities. He now wants the team to start strongly and improve its finishing.
“I do think the most important thing is to start strongly and take our chances,” he said. “Then maybe we can think about scoring three goals or more.”
That emphasis on converting chances will matter. Ghana’s first victory restored confidence, but the margin also left room for improvement. A better return in front of goal would ease pressure on the defence and help Ghana control the contest.
Yet the priority is to secure the win; the target of three goals or more is a further ambition, not a substitute for managing the match well.
The Black Stars will also need to approach the return fixture with the urgency of a team trying to recover a campaign.
The first match delivered the points Ghana needed, but the group’s earlier defeats mean that one strong week cannot by itself settle the qualification question. The value of Monday’s fixture lies in turning a single breakthrough into a pattern of results.
Björkegren believes the squad has the quality to reach the AFCON, and even to compete for the title if it qualifies. He was careful, however, to acknowledge how difficult that path is.
“The potential in the group is huge and so high, and I think if we qualify for the AFCON, we can go all the way,” he said.
“But it’s so hard to do, and hopefully, we can win tomorrow to make it six points and get back on track.”
The distinction between potential and performance is central to Ghana’s task. The squad’s talent may give supporters reason for optimism, but qualification will depend on consistent execution across the remaining campaign.
Monday’s match offers a chance to show that the first win was more than a temporary lift.
The home setting at Essipong gives Ghana an opportunity to claim the second victory in front of supporters in Sekondi. Home advantage can help a team set the tempo, but it also carries expectation.
The Black Stars will need to channel that pressure into disciplined play rather than forcing attacks in search of an early goal.
Björkegren has called for a fast start, but a strong opening must be matched by patience and composure. If Ghana create chances and fail to take them, frustration could grow. If they score early, the team will still need to maintain its concentration and avoid giving Somalia a route back into the contest.
The coach said the players were recovering well but indicated that changes to the lineup were likely. He did not specify who might come in or go out.
Any adjustments will need to preserve the energy he wants from the side while ensuring the team is prepared for the physical and tactical demands of another match within a short period.
That decision will test the balance between continuity and freshness. Ghana’s first-leg performance gives the coach a foundation to build on, while the recovery period and his expectation of possible changes suggest he is also weighing the condition of his players.
The objective is not simply to repeat Thursday’s starting eleven, but to field a team capable of sustaining intensity and taking its opportunities.
The wider importance of the fixture is clear. Ghana began the group stage with defeats that left little margin for further disappointment.
The victory over Somalia stopped that early slide and put points on the board; another win would strengthen the team’s position and provide momentum before the next phase of qualification.
A defeat or dropped points would reopen the questions the first result had begun to quiet. That is why the match is more than an opportunity to collect three points. It is a test of whether the team can respond to pressure, convert its chances and make the most of a home fixture.
For Björkegren, the assignment is to translate belief in the squad’s potential into a result that changes the direction of Ghana’s campaign. For the players, the immediate requirements are simpler: begin with purpose, remain composed and finish the chances they create.
The Black Stars have taken the first step by beating Somalia in the opening fixture. On Monday, they will be asked to show that they can follow it with another win and turn a promising result into a genuine recovery in the race for AFCON qualification.
