Flashback to the 2010s when Ghana was a sure bet to reach the semi-finals of the AFCON.
19th March 1982 at the 11 June Stadium, Tripoli in Libya was the last time Ghana won the AFCON.
It will be 15,275 days on Saturday, opening day for the 2023 AFCON, since Ghana won the competition. It will be just 66 days to exactly 42 years since the Black Stars lifted their 4th AFCON.
Ghana hasn’t shown anything that shows that they are ready to lift the AFCON even if the chaotic theory of football comes into full force. Chris Houghton and his lads struggled at the famous Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi against lowly Namibia as the entire team was shambolic on Monday night.
A whole lot ought to be changed within the playing body else the story won’t be different from the last 2 AFCONs.
Let’s look at our goalkeeping department, three goalkeepers were called by Chris Houghton. Richard Ofori looks increasingly likely to start against Cape Verde in the opening game. Ofori was horrible against Namibia and his level cannot take us to the promised land in Ivory Coast unless he up his game. A Ghanaian goalkeeper can’t lack the basic things of goalkeeping. He has been rusty throughout the whole year and a benchwarmer shouldn’t be Ghana’s number 1. Ofori was shivering as his confidence was nowhere to be found under the floodlights of Baba Yara Sports Stadium
Joe Wollacott in Herbinian in Scotland has not been playing just like Ofori at Orlando Pirates. Joe Wollacott has always looked very shaky in post for Ghana as he demonstrated against Nigeria in the playoffs for the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
Ati-Zigi Lawrence has been the number 1 for St Gallen in the Swiss Super League but has lost his position to Ofori in the Black Stars albeit it all depends on Houghton as to who will be the number 1. Ghana’s goalkeeping department calls for concern as the 3 selected goalkeepers are all not trustworthy.
Ghana’s defence has been very susceptible to high intensity as USA and Mexico demonstrated in our USA tour. Comoros’ Myziane Maolida danced through our defence with ease and scored in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The laterals have not been effective, especially on the right-hand side as Alidu Seidu and Denis Odoi have not been up to the level required. On the left, Gideon Mensah is now the favourite but he has not been consistent in his performance.
Amartey and Djiku are the likeliest partners for the AFCON as the centre-backs for Ghana. AS Monaco centre-back Salisu Mohamed just recovered from a long-term injury and is expected to be on the bench. Nicholas Opoku and Kasim Adams’ partnership against Comoros was not the best as they both watched Maoulida score a great solo goal for the lowly Comoros.
Chris Houghton has developed the knack for partnering two defensive midfielders in front of his defence which has always limited the team’s ability to create from the midfield.
In the 0-0 draw against Namibia, Elisha Owusu partnered with Baba Iddrisu and Ghana struggled to control the midfield. Creative midfielders like Ashimeru and Richmond Lamptey must start alongside Salis Samed to strike the right balance in Houghton’s favourite double pivot against Cale Verde.
Ghana’s attack has been shambolic as Inaki Williams has scored just one goal since making his debut for the team before the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Ghana doesn’t lack quality playmakers but has struggled to create the needed chances for Inaki and Semenyo. Jordan Ayew, Kudus Mohammed, Ernest Nuamah, Osman Bukari, Yeboah Konigsdorffer and the skipper Andre Ayew are all fine playmakers who must step up and supply Inaki Williams the passes.
Jonathan Sowah of Medeama SC is a striker who gives Chris Houghton a different dimension as his physical nature always hurt the opposition’s defence. His presence in the 0-0 against Namibia lifted the team. He is someone Houghton must give more minutes because he is a classic number 9 who can score goals for Ghana.
If decisions from Chris Houghton and his technical staff do not change, Ghana will struggle in Ivory Coast.
Fans across the country must lower their expectations in the sense that Ghana has struggled to play against lower-ranked teams like Comoros, Madagascar, Nicaragua, Angola, Central African Republic and Namibia with all the big-name players in the last 1 and a half years.
Teams are no more afraid of the famous Black Stars because we have failed to put them in their proper places. In a group against Egypt, Cape Verde and Mozambique, Ghana is expected to progress to the knockout stage but is not expected to go ahead and lift the ultimate.
Football fanatics across the country must lower their expectations of the Black Stars because performances for the last 18 months have been shambolic and preparations towards the 34th edition of the AFCON have been indifferent.
