Carlos Queiroz has urged Ghana to keep moving forward despite late injuries and withdrawals that have disrupted the Black Stars’ preparations for their opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Côte d’Ivoire.
The Portuguese coach spoke as the squad gathered in Accra on Monday, just three days before the Group C clash in Bouaké. Ghana will then return home to face The Gambia on September 29, with Morocco waiting in a friendly on October 4.
Queiroz used a simple image to describe the situation facing his team.
“We have a couple of goals, we are taking in some water, we have a couple of holes in our boat, but we keep sailing.”
The coach confirmed that changes were already being made. Thomas Asante, Mohammed Fuseini, Jonas Adjetey, Alidu Seidu and left-back Anang are among the players brought in as Ghana deal with late fitness concerns.
The biggest blow is the withdrawal of Mohammed Kudus. The Tottenham forward had returned to the squad after a seven-month injury lay-off, but Queiroz said the decision was taken after the player featured for more than 70 minutes at club level and his recovery did not progress as expected.
“We realised the best decision was to protect his recovery process,” Queiroz said. “Nobody wants that.”
Kudus’ absence puts more responsibility on Ghana’s other attacking options, including Antoine Semenyo, Ernest Nuamah, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku and captain Jordan Ayew. The squad still contains a mix of established players and younger talents as Queiroz begins another phase with the national team.
Yet the coach says talent alone cannot carry the Black Stars. His message is that Ghana must become more disciplined and connected, with collective responsibility replacing dependence on individual moments.
The timing leaves little room for experimentation. Ghana are returning to the AFCON qualifying race after missing the 2025 tournament, and Group C also contains Somalia alongside Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia. Two teams from the group will qualify for the 2027 finals.
For Queiroz, however, the bigger picture can wait. “For me the most important trophy at this moment is the next game, to win the next game.”
That next game comes in Bouaké, where Ghana will discover quickly whether the patched-up boat can stay on course.
