Ghana travel to Meknes on Wednesday to face the Central African Republic (CAR) at 16:00 GMT in a pivotal Group I qualifier, with the Black Stars aiming to edge closer to direct qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The West Africans currently top the group with 19 points, three ahead of second-placed Madagascar, and a win against already-eliminated CAR would bring them within touching distance of securing a place at next year’s global showpiece.
Victory alone, however, may not guarantee automatic qualification.
Ghana must also rely on results elsewhere, notably the match between Comoros and Madagascar, which kicks off around the same time.
A slip by the Barea could virtually hand the Black Stars their fifth World Cup appearance.
Under coach Otto Addo, Ghana have enjoyed a largely flawless campaign, winning six of their eight qualifiers.
Their only setbacks came in a 1-0 defeat to Comoros on matchday two and a 1-1 draw against Chad in September’s opening fixture.
The team quickly recovered, beating Mali 1-0 in Accra four days later, boosting their goal tally to 17 – the highest in the group – while conceding just six.
Their strong performances, winning four of six matches with only one draw and one loss, have set the stage for a decisive outing in Meknes.
CAR, meanwhile, approach the fixture with pride as their sole motivator after a disappointing qualifying campaign.
Les Fauves fell 4-3 to Ghana in the reverse fixture in Accra and have struggled for form since, losing five of their last six matches across all competitions and failing to score in the most recent five.
Consecutive 2-0 defeats to Madagascar and Comoros last month left Eloge Enza Yamissi’s side fifth in the group, with just five points from eight games.
The Central Africans have conceded 17 goals – the second-highest in Group I – while scoring only eight. Their lone victory in the qualifiers came in a 1-0 win over Chad in June 2024, highlighting persistent defensive frailties.
Despite these challenges, CAR will look to finish their campaign on a spirited note, seeking to challenge Ghana and end a six-game winless run in all competitions.
Ghana, meanwhile, are expected to dominate possession and impose their attacking threat, led by the likes of Jordan Ayew and co., with the goal of consolidating their top spot and moving a step closer to the 2026 World Cup.
