AFCON 2027 qualifiers: Ghana, Egypt, Senegal chase crucial wins

Ghana will be under pressure to respond when they face Gambia in their second 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier after several of the continent’s leading sides dropped points in the opening round.

The Black Stars began their Group C campaign with a 2-0 defeat to Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké on Thursday, leaving Carlos Queiroz’s side with little room for another setback as they prepare to face a Gambia team that opened with a 2-1 victory over Somalia.

Egypt and Senegal also failed to secure victories on Friday, with the former held to a goalless draw by Angola and the latter drawing 1-1 with Mozambique.

Queiroz acknowledged Côte d’Ivoire’s superiority in possession but believes Ghana created the better attacking opportunities.

“In terms of possession, Côte d’Ivoire was better than us,” Ghana boss Carlos Queiroz conceded after the defeat.

“But in terms of attacking penetration and creating opportunities, we were better than them. But they got the result.”

The Portuguese coach expects a more aggressive approach from Ghana against Gambia, insisting his players must take control of the ball and play with greater attacking intent.

“We know that if we want to win the game, we have to fight to have the ball,” said Queiroz.

“After we get the ball, we have to play with a positive mind and express our skills to go forward and try to score,” he added.

Ghana’s AFCON history adds pressure

Ghana are seeking to rebuild their standing in African football after a difficult period that has seen the four-time champions miss out on the 2025 AFCON in Morocco.

The Black Stars last won the continental title in 1982 and subsequently established themselves as regular semi-finalists, reaching the last four at every tournament between 2008 and 2017. They were runners-up in 2010 and 2015.

However, Ghana have since suffered successive group-stage exits before failing to qualify for the 2025 tournament.

Queiroz believes the team must learn from that history without allowing it to become a burden.

“The past is important because the past gives us the things we need to learn in order to progress,” Queiroz added.

He has also called for unity around the current squad as Ghana seek to recover from their opening defeat.

“This is a very important moment for Ghana in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. We have to move everybody that supports Ghana in the same direction. We all have to support the players that are here to perform.”

Vieira held on Senegal debut

Senegal also failed to make a winning start under new coach Patrick Vieira, drawing 1-1 with Mozambique in Group J.

The Senegal-born former France international was appointed after Pape Thiaw’s departure following the 2026 World Cup, but his first competitive match ended without victory.

Nicolas Jackson put Senegal ahead in the 33rd minute before Geny Catamo equalised shortly before half-time.

Vieira’s side will next face Ethiopia in Bahir Dar, with the coach insisting there were positive signs despite the result.

“It was important to lay the foundations,” added the 50-year-old. “We’ve identified the shortcomings and we’ll address them through hard work.”

Egypt held without Salah

Egypt also surrendered points in a goalless draw against Angola and will face South Sudan without captain Mohamed Salah.

The Egyptian Football Association said an agreement had been reached before the Angola match for Salah to miss the fixture, with concerns over the artificial pitch in Juba.

Morocco, meanwhile, made a winning start by defeating Gabon 2-0, while Nigeria, Cameroon and Algeria also began their campaigns with victories.

Cape Verde, who reached the knockout stages on their World Cup debut, suffered a 3-1 defeat to Mali.

For Ghana, however, attention now turns to Gambia, with the Black Stars needing a response to their disappointing start in Bouaké.