Ghana vs Somalia: Black Stars target first win in 2027 AFCON Qualifiers at Essipong

Ghana’s Black Stars will be desperate to get their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign back on track when they host Somalia at the Essipong Sports Stadium on Thursday, November 12.

The four-time African champions head into the Group C encounter under pressure after suffering defeats in their opening two matches, leaving them bottom of the standings without a point.

Ghana began their campaign with a 2-0 loss away to Côte d’Ivoire before suffering a disappointing 4-2 defeat to The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium, despite initially taking a two-goal lead.

Their opponents, Somalia, have also endured a difficult start, losing 2-1 to The Gambia before falling 2-0 to Côte d’Ivoire. The Ocean Stars are third in the group with zero points, ahead of Ghana on goal difference.

The meeting therefore presents both nations with an important opportunity to record their first victory of the qualifying campaign and revive their hopes of reaching the tournament.

Ghana will draw confidence from their previous encounters with Somalia. The two sides last met in a two-legged 2006 FIFA World Cup preliminary qualifying tie in November 2003, with the Black Stars winning both matches to secure a 7-0 aggregate victory.

Ghana recorded a 5-0 win in the first encounter before completing the double with a 2-0 victory in the return fixture. The historical record gives the Black Stars an advantage on paper, although the current circumstances present a different challenge.

Somalia, known as the Ocean Stars, will also be eager to upset the hosts and collect their first points. The East African nation has yet to qualify for either the Africa Cup of Nations or the FIFA World Cup, making every qualifying campaign an opportunity to move closer to a historic breakthrough.

For Ghana, however, the stakes are particularly high. Having missed out on the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, the Black Stars cannot afford another disappointing qualifying campaign.

With Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia already on six points, Ghana will need a strong response in the remaining fixtures to keep their qualification hopes alive. A victory over Somalia would provide a much-needed boost ahead of the return meeting between the two sides on November 16.

The first encounter kicks off at 3:00 pm at the Essipong Sports Stadium, where the Black Stars will be aiming to turn their fortunes around and give their supporters reason to believe again.