Ghana assistant coach Ibrahim Tanko says the Black Stars must concentrate on securing results against Somalia as they attempt to recover from a difficult start to their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.
Ghana will face Somalia twice in Group C later this month, with the back-to-back fixtures offering an immediate chance to revive their hopes of reaching the tournament.
The four-time African champions have lost both of their opening qualifiers. They were beaten 2-0 by Ivory Coast in Bouake before suffering a 4-2 defeat by The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium, despite taking a two-goal lead.
Those results have left Ghana bottom of Group C without a point after two matches and placed significant pressure on the team before the next round of fixtures.
Tanko, however, says the Black Stars must deal with the challenge in front of them rather than focus on the wider qualification picture.
“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.
Ghana are due to host Somalia in the first match on Thursday, November 12, before the teams meet again on November 16. Both games are expected to be played in Ghana.
The interim technical team, led by Kim Lars Bjorkegren, is expected to announce its squad this week as preparations continue for the important double-header.
The Black Stars are seeking to avoid another disappointing qualifying campaign after failing to reach the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Ghana ended that qualifying group in last place without winning a match, adding to concerns over the team’s recent form and performances.
Their prospects of qualifying for the 2027 tournament are already under threat after the two defeats, but victories against Somalia would provide the points needed to restart their campaign.
The two matches will also give the interim technical team an opportunity to restore confidence within the squad and build momentum before Ghana’s subsequent qualifiers.
