Somalia vs Ghana: the Black Stars cannot afford to drop points
On November 16, Somalia and Ghana will meet in another match of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign. This clash is hugely important for the visitors: after a disastrous start to qualifying, Ghana need to pick up points to avoid making their bid for a place at the continental showpiece even more difficult. Somalia have little to show for their efforts so far either, but after three straight defeats, ending their poor run has become especially important. Doing so against one of the most decorated sides in African football, however, will be no easy task.
Somalia: still without a point
Somalia head into the fourth round of the group stage in a difficult position. They have yet to earn a point from their three matches and sit bottom of Group C. That said, it would be unfair to say the Somalis looked completely out of their depth in every game.
In September, they lost 2-0 to Côte d’Ivoire, although they held the more illustrious opposition at bay for long spells. Earlier, Somalia were beaten 2-1 by Gambia, conceding the decisive goal late on. Those results highlight the national team’s main problem: the players can defend in an organized fashion, but struggle to maintain their concentration for the full 90 minutes.
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However, the situation grew even more challenging ahead of the November clash with Ghana. The teams met for the first time on November 12, with Somalia losing again, this time 2-0. Goals from Jonas Adjetey and Felix Afena-Gyan gave Ghana their first win of the current qualifying campaign.
Somalia will now face the same opponents for the second time in just a few days. The coaching staff will clearly need to find a way to improve their attacking play. In the previous match, the team created almost no serious threat in front of the opposition goal.
The hosts’ main task is to stop Ghana from enjoying too much freedom in the middle of the park. If Somalia are once again forced to spend most of the game without the ball, a positive result will be extremely difficult to achieve.
Ghana: the return of key players changes the picture
For the Black Stars, November’s international break offered a chance to turn things around after a disastrous start. Ghana lost their first two matches, falling 2-0 to Côte d’Ivoire and 4-2 to Gambia. Head coach Carlos Queiroz then left his post, with Kim Lars Björkegren taking charge on an interim basis. The Swedish coach received a major boost, with several key players returning to the squad: Mohammed Kudus, Jordan Ayew, Thomas Partey and Mohammed Salisu.
Kudus’s return is particularly important after he missed a significant part of 2026 because of health issues. His pace, technique and ability to create danger could significantly boost the team’s attacking potential.
Thomas Partey is also worth highlighting. His presence in midfield helps Ghana control the tempo, break up opposition attacks and move the ball forward more quickly. Jordan Ayew brings experience and leadership, while Salisu should strengthen the defence. Ghana won the first meeting with Somalia 2-0. The margin could have been even greater: Jordan Ayew missed a penalty in the 14th minute. Defender Jonas Adjetey opened the scoring in first-half stoppage time, before Felix Afena-Gyan sealed the result after the break.
After the match, Björkegren said the team needed to play faster and make better use of its chances. Despite the win, the coaching staff know there is still plenty of work to do.
After three rounds, Ghana moved up to third in Group C with three points. Côte d’Ivoire lead the way with nine, while Gambia are second on six. That means even two wins over Somalia would not guarantee Ghana a comfortable end to their qualifying campaign.
Head-to-head record and likely line-ups
There is not much history between these national teams in official matches. Ghana underlined their advantage in the first game of the current qualifying campaign, winning 2-0.
For Somalia, that was another reminder of the gulf in individual quality between the teams.
Ghana will surely look to control possession again and make good use of the wide areas. Kudus could be their main source of creativity, Partey will provide balance in midfield, while Ayew and Afena-Gyan can pose a direct threat around the opposition box.
Somalia are likely to rely on a compact defence and quick transitions from defence to attack. Bilal N’jie remains one of the players capable of making things happen. But to give the favourites real problems, Somalia will need to show far more attacking intent than they did in the first meeting.
The confirmed starting line-ups for November 14 have not yet been announced, so it is too early to say which players will definitely feature.
On paper, Ghana’s advantage looks clear. The gulf in quality, a more experienced squad and the return of several key players make the visitors firm favourites. The first meeting also showed how difficult it is for Somalia to create chances against the Black Stars’ well-organized defence.
There is also a psychological factor: Ghana have finally ended their poor run in qualifying and gained some much-needed confidence. Now they need to build on that result and avoid an unexpected slip-up.
It is also worth noting that Somalia are officially the hosts, but because they do not have a suitable stadium, the match will once again be played in Ghana, at Essipong Stadium in Sekondi-Takoradi. Kick-off is scheduled for 15:00 GMT.
I expect the visitors to seize the initiative from the opening minutes and deny their opponents any hope of relying on a fluke. Somalia may be able to hold out for a while, but maintaining a high level of concentration throughout the match will be difficult.
My prediction: over 2.5 goals.
