Interim Black Stars head coach Kim Lars Björkegren has pledged that Ghana will adopt an attack-minded approach when they face Somalia in Thursday’s crucial 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
The Swedish tactician is targeting Ghana’s first victory of the qualifying campaign as the Black Stars look to revive their hopes of reaching the continental tournament after a disappointing start in Group C.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Wednesday, Björkegren made his intentions clear, revealing that his side will focus on dominating possession, creating chances and scoring goals against Somalia.
“We want to play. We want to create chances. We want to move forward. We want to score goals.”
The Black Stars welcome Somalia to the Essipong Sports Stadium for the first of two decisive Group C encounters, with the return fixture scheduled for the same venue on Monday, November 16.
Ghana head into the match under pressure after suffering back-to-back defeats in their opening qualifiers. The four-time African champions were beaten 2-0 by Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké before falling to a disappointing 4-2 home defeat against The Gambia.
Those results have left the Black Stars rooted to the bottom of Group C without a point, making victories in both matches against Somalia essential to keep their qualification hopes alive.
Björkegren, who is taking charge of the senior national team on an interim basis following the departure of Carlos Queiroz, will be hoping to inspire an immediate response from his players.
Ghana are determined to return to the Africa Cup of Nations after missing out on the 2025 finals in Morocco, and anything less than maximum points from the Somalia double-header would leave their hopes of qualifying for the 2027 tournament, to be hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, in serious jeopardy.
