Antoine Semenyo set to miss Ghana’s crucial AFCON qualifiers against Somalia with injury layoff

Ghana will be without Antoine Semenyo for their crucial 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header against Somalia next month after the Manchester City winger was ruled out for up to eight weeks with a knee injury.

Semenyo sustained the injury during City’s Premier League victory over Ipswich Town on Saturday, dealing another blow to the Black Stars ahead of their decisive Group C encounters scheduled between November 11 and 14, 2026.

The 26-year-old is expected to miss both matches against Somalia, leaving Ghana without one of their key attacking options as they attempt to revive their qualifying campaign.

Semenyo also missed Ghana’s opening two qualifiers after suffering an ankle injury, watching from the sidelines as the Black Stars lost 2-0 away to Côte d’Ivoire before suffering a 4-2 defeat against The Gambia.

Those results have left Ghana bottom of Group C without a point, making the upcoming double-header increasingly important to their hopes of reaching the 2027 tournament.

Maresca confirms eight-week absence

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca confirmed the extent of Semenyo’s injury after medical examinations, revealing that the initial fears surrounding the winger’s condition had eased following a scan.

Although the injury is not as serious as the club had initially anticipated, the projected recovery period is expected to keep him out of action for several weeks.

“After the scan we feel much better because it’s not as bad as we expected,” Maresca said.

“It could be eight weeks, so now the most important thing is for him to recover.”

The absence is a setback for both City and Ghana, with Semenyo having become an important attacking presence for club and country.

His pace, direct running and ability to threaten defenders in one-on-one situations would have offered Ghana another dimension in attack against Somalia.

However, the Black Stars must now prepare for the two matches without the forward, who has already missed the opening fixtures of their qualifying campaign.

Ghana face pressure to revive AFCON hopes

Ghana’s difficult start to the qualifiers has left little room for further mistakes as they seek to secure a place at the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Black Stars suffered a 2-0 defeat to Côte d’Ivoire before conceding four goals in a 4-2 loss to The Gambia, leaving them with no points from their opening two matches.

The November fixtures against Somalia therefore present an opportunity to get their campaign back on track, but Semenyo’s expected absence complicates their preparations.

Ghana will need other attacking players to step up and provide the goals required to collect maximum points across the two legs.

The technical team must also find a way to improve a defence that has conceded six goals in its opening two games if the Black Stars are to turn their fortunes around.

With Semenyo unlikely to feature, attention will turn to the available forwards and how effectively they can fill the gap left by the Manchester City winger.

Haaland receives positive injury update

Meanwhile, Maresca has offered a more encouraging update on Erling Haaland after the striker left the pitch limping following a blow to his foot during the weekend.

The City manager said the Norwegian could be available for Tuesday’s Champions League meeting with AEK Athens, subject to his assessment in training.

“He can be available,” Maresca said.

“We have a session now and we’ll see.”

While Haaland could return to action sooner than initially feared, Semenyo faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines, leaving Ghana to prepare for their crucial November assignments without one of their leading attacking threats.