Kim Lars Bjorkegren began his interim spell as Ghana coach with a 2-0 victory over Somalia, but said the Black Stars must improve if they are to qualify for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
Ghana secured their first Group C win on Thursday, November 12, 2026, at the Essipong Sports Stadium. However, Bjorkegren was critical of the team’s response after Jordan Ayew missed a penalty in the 14th minute.
“We struggled after the penalty miss; the tempo was very low. So, I’m not so happy with how the middle of the first half went,” he said.
The Swedish coach felt Ghana had been too slow in possession, especially during the opening period, and believed the ball needed to be moved more quickly.
Bjorkegren was more encouraged by the overall performance and praised the players for maintaining their effort despite the difficult conditions. He also felt the team improved after half-time and had provided an entertaining performance for those watching.
“We played good football and we entertained the fans,” he said.
The win leaves Ghana with renewed hope of reaching the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations after a difficult beginning to their qualifying campaign. They had lost their opening Group C matches against Cote d’Ivoire and The Gambia before overcoming Somalia.
Bjorkegren confident of qualification
Despite those early defeats, the interim coach believes Ghana can still complete their recovery and reach the tournament.
“I think we can go all the way and qualify for the AFCON,” he declared.
Bjorkegren was also asked whether he would like to remain in charge as the permanent Black Stars coach. He said his focus was on carrying out his current role and helping the squad during his interim appointment rather than considering what might happen afterwards.
“I’m gonna do my best when I’m here. My job is to be here and support Ghana, be there for the boys and do my absolute best to win every game and to help the boys back in this group. So I’m doing my job now and then we can see what happens next,” he said.
The result marked a positive start to Bjorkegren’s time with the national team, but Ghana must quickly prepare for another meeting with Somalia.
The two sides will play again on Monday, November 16, 2026, when Bjorkegren will be seeking a second victory and further progress in Ghana’s bid to qualify for AFCON 2027.
