The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is just around the corner, and Ghana is facing a concerning setback as Mohammed Kudus, the talented forward, may miss the opening game against Cape Verde on Sunday due to a lingering hamstring injury.
The 23-year-old Ghanaian felt tightness in his hamstring following West Ham’s 2-0 triumph over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. The Premier League conducted a thorough assessment of Kudus and promptly communicated the injury findings to the Ghana Football Association (GFA). Chris Hughton, addressing the press during the squad announcement last week, confirmed the setback that has cast a shadow over Kudus’ AFCON debut.
Initially expected to join his teammates last week, Kudus’ arrival has been delayed as the recovery process demands an additional 5-6 days for him to attain full fitness. In the interim, physiotherapists in Ghana are working tirelessly to aid the former Ajax player’s recovery, emphasizing the collective effort to ensure his inclusion in the squad for the Ivory Coast-bound journey on Wednesday.
The critical question lingers: will Hughton risk including Kudus in the first game against Cape Verde, knowing he won’t be at 100% fitness after missing substantial portions of the training camp and the friendly against Namibia? The decision awaits as the Black Stars strategize for their AFCON campaign.
Hughton, in a post-game statement, assured that Kudus would rejoin the Black Stars camp imminently. “As for [Mohammed] Kudus, we were in touch with him and his club, will join us tomorrow,” he affirmed, providing a glimmer of hope for Ghanaian fans eager to witness Kudus’ dynamic presence on the AFCON stage.
This isn’t Kudus’ first encounter with AFCON adversity; he missed the 2021 edition due to a rib fracture, intensifying his desire to make a memorable debut in the competition for the Black Stars. The journey to AFCON 2023 has been a rollercoaster for Kudus, reminiscent of the hamstring injury he faced in April 2023 while at Ajax, sidelining him for four games.
Ghana, placed in Group B alongside football powerhouses Egypt, Cape Verde, and Mozambique, faces a formidable challenge. The outcome of Kudus’ race against time to regain full fitness adds a layer of intrigue to Ghana’s AFCON narrative, as the nation holds its collective breath, hoping for their star forward’s triumphant return to the pitch.
