Ghana have been urged to approach their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header against Somalia with caution, despite both matches being played on home soil.
Former Ghana Football Association (GFA) Communications Director Ibrahim Sannie Daara warned that Somalia have players capable of causing problems, with the Black Stars needing maximum points to revive their campaign.
The two teams will meet in Matchday 3 and 4 of the qualifiers, beginning at Essipong Sports Stadium on Thursday, November 12. The return fixture is scheduled for Monday, November 16, with both games taking place in Ghana.
Ghana are bottom of Group C without a point after opening the campaign with consecutive defeats by Ivory Coast and The Gambia. The results have left the four-time African champions under significant pressure as they attempt to keep their hopes of qualification alive.
“Black Stars must not underrate Somalia because they also have players playing in Europe and they could cause us problems if we are not careful,” Sannie Daara told Asempa FM.
The former GFA communications chief believes the home-based schedule gives Ghana an important opportunity to recover from their poor start and collect all six available points.
“These games have offered the team a chance to revive their AFCON qualifiers campaign because there is no away game. All games will be played in Ghana, so the Black Stars must take advantage of that and win both games to secure all six points,” he added.
Squad selection
Interim technical team leader Kim Lars Bjorkegren is expected to announce his squad for the two matches this week.
Sannie Daara has also called for selection to be based solely on a player’s ability to contribute to the Black Stars. He said the technical team should not give preference to footballers simply because they play in Ghana or abroad.
“The right players must be called for these games. It does not matter whether the player is a local player or a foreign-based player. If that particular player is good to play for the Black Stars, he should be invited,” he said.
Ghana are seeking a return to the AFCON tournament after failing to qualify for the 2025 edition in Morocco.
The 2027 competition will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Ghana will be determined to avoid missing out on a second successive tournament, but must first overturn their difficult position in Group C against Somalia.
