Ghana risks losing Ernest Nuamah for Somalia double-header in AFCON 2027 qualifiers

Ghana international Ernest Nuamah is a major doubt for the upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Somalia after suffering a muscle injury at club side Lyon.

The 23-year-old winger is currently struggling with a muscle strain, raising concerns over his availability for Ghana’s crucial November assignments as the Black Stars seek to revive their faltering qualification campaign.

Ghana are scheduled to face Somalia twice this month, with the first encounter set to take place at the Essipong Stadium before the two sides meet again in the return fixture.

Nuamah’s injury became apparent after he missed Lyon’s UEFA Europa League encounter against Real Sociedad on Thursday night. The French side’s interim manager, Jorge Maciel, subsequently admitted that the Ghanaian’s availability for Sunday’s Ligue 1 meeting with Brest remains uncertain.

“They’ve suffered muscle strains,” Maciel revealed while providing an update on Nuamah and teammate Moussa Niakhaté.

“We hope to have them back for Sunday’s match in Brest. We’re waiting for an update; we don’t yet know if they’ll be fit or not. We’ll see how things are progressing when we return to Lyon,” he added.

Nuamah has been an influential figure for Lyon since the start of the 2026/27 campaign, showcasing his attacking quality through his pace, direct running and ability to find the back of the net.

The former FC Nordsjælland winger has made 13 appearances across all competitions, scoring six goals and providing one assist, making him an important attacking option for the French outfit.

His potential absence would represent a significant blow to Ghana’s preparations, particularly given the importance of the upcoming double-header in their quest to get their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign back on track.

The Black Stars have endured a disappointing start to the qualifiers, suffering a 2-0 defeat to neighbours Ivory Coast in Bouaké before dropping further points against The Gambia on home soil.

Those results have left Ghana bottom of Group C, increasing the pressure on the team to secure maximum points from their two meetings with Somalia.

With Nuamah’s fitness now uncertain, head coach Carlos Queiroz could be forced to reassess his attacking options as Ghana prepare for two must-win encounters.