Gambia head coach Jonathan McKinstry says his team took advantage of the difficult atmosphere inside Ghana’s dressing room after the Black Stars surrendered a two-goal lead in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Ghana raced into a 2-0 lead but allowed The Gambia to fight back before half-time, with the score level at 2-2 at the break.
McKinstry believes the dramatic turnaround gave his players an opportunity to exploit the uncertainty and frustration that would have followed Ghana’s collapse.
“We know that if you’re 2-0 up at home and go into half time 2-2, the dressing room atmosphere was going to be chaotic and for us it was about taking advantage of that.”
The Gambia subsequently built on their momentum in the second half and eventually secured a 4-2 victory over the Black Stars.
The result represents a major setback for Ghana in their attempt to qualify for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, while The Gambia secured an important away victory.
McKinstry’s comments highlight the psychological impact of Ghana’s inability to protect a two-goal advantage.
For The Gambia, the two goals before the interval changed the complexion of the match and gave the visitors renewed belief going into the second half.
Ghana, meanwhile, were unable to recover from the momentum shift as The Gambia continued to take advantage of their opportunities after the restart.
The defeat leaves the Black Stars under significant pressure after they also lost their opening qualifying match against Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké.
The latest result has raised further questions about Ghana’s defensive organisation, game management and ability to respond when matches change direction.
On the other hand, McKinstry and The Gambia, however, the victory provides a major boost as they continue their campaign for a place at the 2027 AFCON tournament.
