Black Stars assistant coach Ibrahim Tanko has urged Ghana to remain focused on their upcoming double-header against Somalia, insisting that securing positive results in the two encounters must be the team’s immediate priority as they seek to revive their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign.
Ghana are preparing for two crucial Group C fixtures later this month, with the matches presenting the four-time African champions with an opportunity to recover from their disappointing start and put their qualification ambitions back on track.
The Black Stars have endured a difficult opening to the qualifying campaign, suffering consecutive defeats against Ivory Coast and The Gambia.
Ghana began their campaign with a 2-0 defeat to Ivory Coast in Bouake before suffering a disappointing 4-2 loss to The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium, despite taking a two-goal advantage in the encounter.
Those results have left Ghana bottom of Group C without a single point, placing the team under considerable pressure ahead of the upcoming fixtures.
Speaking to Joy Sports, Tanko stressed the importance of concentrating on the immediate challenge rather than looking too far ahead, explaining that the team must first take care of its responsibility against Somalia before considering the remaining qualifying matches.
“We cannot afford to look too far ahead without first taking care of the immediate task,” he told Joy Sports.
“The Somalia matches are our priority. If we can get the right results and build momentum, we can approach the next qualifiers with renewed confidence,” he added.
Tanko’s comments underline the importance of the two matches to Ghana’s qualification ambitions, particularly after the disappointing results in the opening round of fixtures.
The Black Stars will host Somalia in the first encounter on Thursday, November 12, before the two nations meet again on November 16. Both fixtures are expected to take place in Ghana.
The interim technical team, led by Kim Lars Björkegren, is expected to announce its squad this week as preparations intensify for the decisive double-header.
Ghana will be hoping to use home advantage to secure the maximum six points available and improve their position in Group C.
The team is also under pressure to avoid another disappointing qualifying campaign after missing the 2025 AFCON tournament in Morocco.
During the previous qualifying series, Ghana finished bottom of their group without recording a single victory, marking one of the country’s most disappointing campaigns in recent years.
With the 2027 AFCON scheduled to be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, the Black Stars understand the importance of collecting points in their remaining matches to keep their qualification hopes alive.
For Tanko and the interim technical team, however, the immediate objective remains clear: secure the right results against Somalia, restore confidence within the squad and build the momentum required for the challenges ahead.
