- Thomas-Asante Says Somalia Games Are Crucial as Ghana Fight to Keep AFCON Hopes Alive
Brandon Thomas-Asante has called Ghana’s two Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Somalia “very important”. For the Black Stars, the importance is plain in the group table: two matches played, two defeats, no points. After losing to Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia, Ghana need the double-header to put their 2027 qualification campaign back on course.
The first match is scheduled for Thursday, November 12, at the Essipong Stadium in Sekondi-Takoradi, with the return fixture set for Monday, November 16.
Both kick off at 3pm GMT. The games come after a difficult opening to Group C: Ghana lost 2-0 away to Côte d’Ivoire, then surrendered a two-goal lead in a 4-2 home defeat to The Gambia.
Thomas-Asante said the squad understands the task ahead. “We understand there’s two very important games this week,” he said, describing the preparation period as useful and expressing the players’ desire to put their work into practice. He also said representing Ghana remains a privilege for the players.
The forward’s words capture the pressure, but the real measure will be what Ghana do on the pitch. A double-header against the group’s bottom side is an opportunity to collect points. It is also a test of whether a team shaken by two very different defeats can defend leads, sustain concentration and convert its attacking talent into wins.
The opening loss to Côte d’Ivoire left Ghana chasing the group. The defeat to The Gambia made the situation more serious.
Going two goals ahead at home should have created a platform for control; conceding four instead exposed how quickly a promising position could unravel. That collapse makes the Somalia fixtures as much about restoring trust in the team as improving its points total.
The standings leave little room for another stumble. Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia each took six points from their first two matches, while Ghana and Somalia began this round without a point.
Two victories would move Ghana to six points and put the Black Stars back in contention, but would not erase the damage already done. They would still need strong performances in the remaining qualifiers, including matches against the group leaders.
The losses also brought a change in the technical set-up. Carlos Queiroz has left his position, and an interim team led by Kim Lars Björkegren is taking charge of the Somalia double-header.
The Swedish coach, who manages Ghana’s Black Queens, is supported by Ibrahim Tanko, Godwin Attram and former Black Stars goalkeeper Fatawu Dauda. Their immediate task is clear: steady a team that has conceded six goals in two games and recover points before the qualifying campaign moves on.
A new technical team can bring a different energy, but the short preparation window limits how much it can change. The priority may be less about installing a complicated new system and more about establishing reliable basics: defensive shape, communication, discipline after scoring and composure when the opponent applies pressure.
Ghana’s performance against The Gambia will be difficult to ignore. The Black Stars had the advantage and failed to protect it. Against Somalia, an early goal could ease the pressure, but it could also tempt Ghana to become careless. The team needs to show that it can manage the game after taking the lead, not merely create one.
The return of senior and attacking players gives the interim staff options. Mohammed Kudus is back in the squad after missing Ghana’s earlier qualifiers this year, while captain Jordan Ayew and Daniel-Kofi Kyereh also return.
Kyereh’s recall is especially notable: he has been absent from international football for almost four years after a serious injury. Their availability offers experience and quality, though no player’s return guarantees a result.
The squad also includes locally based players, giving the interim team a blend of familiar international figures and domestic options.
The challenge is to make the group function as a unit quickly. Ghana do not need to prove that they have talented individuals; they need to show that those individuals can solve the same problems together.
Thomas-Asante has said players feel a responsibility to make supporters proud. That expectation is heightened in Sekondi-Takoradi, where the Black Stars are returning to the Essipong Stadium for the fixtures.
The venue has been given temporary approval to host the matches, and the local support could offer the team a lift. But a home crowd can encourage a side; it cannot defend a lead or finish chances for it.
Ghana’s recent AFCON history adds another layer. The Black Stars missed the 2025 tournament in Morocco, their first absence from the finals since 2004. Another failed qualifying campaign would deepen concern that the national team’s problems are not isolated to one coaching appointment or one bad night.
That is why these matches matter beyond the six points available. They will offer an early indication of whether the team can respond to pressure, whether the interim staff can establish organisation and whether the players can turn a difficult start into a coherent campaign.
The stakes do not mean Ghana must treat the fixtures as a final; they mean the consequences of another poor result would be difficult to contain.
Somalia are not simply an obstacle to be cleared. The Black Stars must approach both games with respect for the opponent and urgency about their own position. A comfortable win in the first leg could rebuild confidence.
A close or unsettled contest would demand patience and sound decision-making. Either way, Ghana cannot afford to play as though reputation alone will secure the points.
The players have described the games as important. The table makes them urgent. Two wins would give Ghana a foothold, not a guarantee. Anything less would leave the Black Stars with an increasingly narrow path to the 2027 finals in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
For Thomas-Asante and his teammates, the measure of this week will not be how clearly they understand the task. It will be whether they can perform under the pressure that comes with it.
