Ivory Coast vs Ghana: Black Stars face tough AFCON qualifier in Bouake

Ghana begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign on Thursday when they travel to Bouak to face Cte dIvoire in a difficult Group C encounter.The West African rivals will meet at the Stade de la Paix, with both sides looking to make a strong start to their qualification campaign.For Ghana, the match marks the beginning of a new chapter under Carlos Queiroz, who has returned for a second spell in charge of the Black Stars. The Portuguese coach faces an immediate test against an Ivorian side packed with quality and playing on home soil.The Black Stars have also been hit by a number of withdrawals in the build-up to the game.Captain Jordan Ayew, Manchester City forward Antoine Semenyo and Tottenham Hotspur attacker Mohammed Kudus are among the notable absentees, while Thomas Partey was not included in the original squad.Kudus’ withdrawal has attracted particular attention, with former Togo captain Emmanuel Adebayor warning that Ghana could struggle without the confidence and experience the Tottenham forward brings to the team.There is no game without an experienced player; it will be hard, Adebayor told 3Sports.Kudus would have brought confidence into the team. But with [youngsters], trust me, it will be difficult.The Black Stars have subsequently made several changes to the squad, with Queiroz adding nine players following medical uncertainties involving some of the initially selected players.Among the late additions are Osasuna defender Rockson Yeboah, who has earned his first senior Ghana call-up after making three La Liga appearances since joining the Spanish club from IFK Gteborg.Jonas Adjetey, Ebenezer Annan, Rahim Ibrahim, Brandon Thomas-Asante, Mohammed Fuseini, Benjamin Tetteh and Felix Afena-Gyan have also been added.Queiroz will now have to find a way to balance the inexperience of some of his available players with the demands of a major away fixture.The coach has previously stressed the importance of consistency, availability and commitment in building a successful national team, while also insisting that winning results ultimately define a team’s style.Cte dIvoire seeking strong startCote dIvoire enter the game with a strong squad and the advantage of playing in front of their home supporters.The Elephants are now back under the management of Herv Renard, who has returned to the national team more than a decade after leading them to the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations title, beating Ghana on penalties in the final.Renard replaces Emerse Fae, who guided Cte dIvoire to the 2023 AFCON title on home soil after taking charge midway through the tournament.The Elephants also reached the knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup before being eliminated by Norway in the round of 32.Renard’s squad includes goalkeeper Yahia Fofana, defender Ousmane Diomande and experienced midfielder Franck Kessie.Manchester United winger Amad Diallo is unavailable because of injury, while Evann Guessand and Omar Diakite were not included in the initial squad.Cte dIvoire will also look to their attacking options to provide the threat, with Yan Diomande among the players expected to feature.Ghana’s AFCON motivationThe Black Stars have extra motivation heading into the qualifiers after missing the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.Ghana finished bottom of their previous qualifying group, recording three defeats and three draws against Angola, Sudan and Niger.That failure brought considerable disappointment and has increased the pressure on Queiroz to guide the team back to the continental tournament.The Portuguese coach has also spoken openly about Ghana’s long wait for another AFCON title.Ghana last won the competition in 1982 and have since gone more than four decades without lifting the trophy.Why are we not winning the Africa Cup of Nations for 44 years? That’s the question that we have to assess in an honest way, professional way, competitive way, to find the solutions to rebuild that dream and make it happen, Queiroz said.He has also expressed his ambition of taking Ghana to the final of the 2027 tournament.For now, however, the immediate task is to secure a result in Bouake.Head-to-head and what to expectThe fixture has developed into one of the notable rivalries in West African football, with Ghana and Cote dIvoire having faced each other more than 30 times across competitive and friendly matches.The head-to-head record is closely contested, with Cote dIvoire holding a narrow advantage. The Elephants have won 16 of their meetings with Ghana, while the Black Stars have recorded 15 victories. The two sides have also drawn 12 times.One of the most memorable encounters came in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations final in Bata, Equatorial Guinea. After a goalless draw following extra time, Cote dIvoire defeated Ghana 9-8 on penalties to win the title.Cote dIvoire also claimed a 3-1 victory over Ghana in the group stage of the 2010 AFCON in Angola, while the Black Stars responded with a 4-2 win in the third-place playoff at the 2008 tournament on home soil.The two West African rivals last met in a 2021 international friendly at the Cape Coast Stadium, where they played out a goalless draw.Thursday’s meeting comes with Cote dIvoire holding home advantage and Ghana dealing with several important absences.Carlos Queiroz is likely to demand discipline and organisation from his players as they attempt to contain an Ivorian side with considerable attacking quality.The Black Stars will need to remain compact defensively, cope with the hosts’ physicality and make the most of their opportunities in attack.With Mohammed Kudus and Antoine Semenyo unavailable, players such as Ernest Nuamah, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku and Brandon Thomas-Asante could be handed greater responsibility in attack.The closely contested history between the two sides adds another layer of intrigue to what promises to be a demanding opening Group C qualifier.Group CGhana and Cote dIvoire are joined by The Gambia and Somalia in Group C.The Black Stars will return to Accra immediately after Thursday’s match to host The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium on September 27.They will then face Morocco in an international friendly at the Grand Stade de Tanger on October 4.A positive result in Bouake would give Queiroz and his players a platform to build on when they return home to face The Gambia.For Ghana, the objective is clear. After missing the last AFCON, they must navigate a challenging opening fixture and begin their journey towards a return to the continental showpiece.



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