Ghana are bottom of Group C with no points after two matches in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, having conceded six goals.
Ghana led 2-0 inside half an hour at the Accra Sports Stadium and still lost 4-2 to The Gambia in a 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier, a collapse that leaves the Black Stars bottom of Group C without a single point.
As reported by Adom Online, it is the first time Ghana have conceded four goals in an AFCON qualifying match.
How the game turned
Coach Carlos Queiroz reshuffled his side after the 2-0 opening loss to Cote d'Ivoire, handing goalkeeper Benjamin Asare a debut and bringing Jonas Adjetey into defence in place of Alexander Djiku. Jerome Opoku, Kojo Oppong Peprah and Gideon Mensah kept their places, with Kwasi Sibo and Caleb Yirenkyi in midfield and Abdul Fatawu Issahaku, Christopher Bonsu Baah and Felix Afena-Gyan up front.
Ghana controlled the ball early without creating much. The breakthrough came from the penalty spot in the 27th minute, after Opoku was fouled inside the Gambian box. Ernest Nuamah converted.
Afena-Gyan then won a free-kick on the edge of the area and curled it home himself to make it 2-0.
The visitors, known as the Scorpions, hit back almost immediately. Gideon Mensah brought down an opponent in the box and Muhammed Badamosi scored the penalty in the 37th minute. Five minutes later, Omar Colley equalised as Ghana's defence struggled to clear pressure. It was 2-2 at the break.
Second-half punishment
Queiroz made two changes at half-time, introducing Benjamin Tetteh for Brandon Thomas-Asante and Ibrahim Sulemana for Sibo. Ghana kept the ball but again could not turn possession into clear chances. Nuamah shot wide with one good opening.
In the 68th minute a poor clearance by Mensah fell to Ebrima Colley, who put The Gambia 3-2 up. Nuamah went close again on 79 minutes, but the Gambians held out and Ebrima Colley added a fourth deep in stoppage time.
What it means
Two matches, two defeats, six goals conceded. Ghana missed the 2025 AFCON finals, and this start makes the road back to the 2027 tournament considerably harder.
The qualifying format gives group winners the clearest path to the finals, so dropping six points at this stage puts pressure on every remaining fixture. Ghana will need results against Cote d'Ivoire and The Gambia later in the campaign, plus maximum returns from the easier games.
The next of those comes soon. The Black Stars face Somalia home and away in a double-header next month, two matches Queiroz's side will be expected to win comfortably if the qualification bid is to stay alive.
For Ghanaian fans watching from the United States and elsewhere abroad, the October double-header is now the real test of whether this team can steady itself.
