Former Ghana international Laryea Kingston believes the Black Stars will need a miracle to qualify for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after losing their opening two matches in the qualifying campaign.
Ghana sit bottom of Group C without a point following defeats by Ivory Coast and The Gambia, leaving their hopes of reaching the tournament in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in serious doubt.
The Black Stars began their campaign with a 2-0 loss to Ivory Coast in Bouake before suffering a 4-2 defeat by The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Ghana had taken a 2-0 lead in the match against the Gambians but failed to protect their advantage, compounding a disappointing start to the qualifiers.
The results contributed to the departure of head coach Carlos Queiroz, with an interim technical team appointed to oversee the national side ahead of their next two fixtures against Somalia in November.
Kingston, who currently serves as head coach of Uganda’s junior national teams, believes Ghana face a difficult task to recover from their early setbacks.
“Looking at the situation now, it will be a miracle for us to qualify,” he told 3Sports.
“Two teams have six points; it means Ghana will have to win all games. For me, it will be very difficult, and it will take a miracle to turn things around,” he added.
The former midfielder’s comments reflect the pressure facing the Black Stars as they attempt to revive their qualification hopes after failing to collect a single point from their first two matches.
Ghana must now focus on securing maximum points in their remaining fixtures, starting with the back-to-back encounters against Somalia next month.
The interim technical team comprises Kim Lars Björkegren, Ibrahim Tanko and Godwin Attram, with former Black Stars goalkeeper Fatawu Dauda serving as goalkeeper coach.
The team will remain in charge until the Ghana Football Association and the Ministry of Sports and Recreation appoint a substantive head coach, with a decision expected in November.
The Black Stars, four-time African champions, will be under pressure to deliver improved performances and results as they seek to avoid missing another edition of the continent’s flagship international football tournament.
