The absence of Mohammed Kudus and Antoine Semenyo has forced Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz to reshape his attacking plans ahead of the Black Stars’ opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké on Thursday.
Ghana will face the Elephants at the Stade de la Paix in a highly anticipated West African encounter, but Queiroz will have to find alternatives to two of the team’s key attacking players.
Kudus was initially included in the squad after returning from a lengthy injury lay-off but subsequently withdrew from the team to continue his recovery and work towards regaining full fitness.
Semenyo has also been ruled out, further reducing Ghana’s attacking options ahead of the difficult away fixture.
The setbacks have prompted the technical team to add nine players to the squad as Queiroz seeks to strengthen his options for the opening Group C assignment.
The changes could provide an opportunity for players who have operated in supporting roles to take greater responsibility in the absence of two of Ghana’s most prominent attackers.
Jordan Ayew, Ernest Nuamah, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku and Ibrahim Osman are among the players available to lead Ghana’s attacking efforts.
Queiroz will also be expected to find the right balance between experience and the additional players called into the squad as Ghana seeks a positive start to its qualifying campaign.
The Black Stars’ challenge is compounded by the quality of the opposition.
Renard begins second Côte d’Ivoire spell
Côte d’Ivoire will begin a new chapter under Hervé Renard, who has returned as head coach of the Elephants.
Renard has already made significant changes to the squad, introducing eight new players as he begins the process of rebuilding the team.
The French coach, however, has retained an experienced core, including Franck Kessié, Ibrahim Sangaré, Evan Ndicka and Ousmane Diomandé.
Renard’s appointment adds another layer of intrigue to Thursday’s contest given his record in African football.
He guided Zambia to the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations title before leading Côte d’Ivoire to continental glory in 2015.
The coach also has previous experience of Ghanaian football, having served on Claude Le Roy’s technical team with the Black Stars before establishing himself as one of Africa’s most successful international coaches.
His familiarity with Ghana adds another dimension to the contest as he begins his second spell with Côte d’Ivoire.
A test of Ghana’s squad depth
For Ghana, the match presents an early examination of the depth available to Queiroz.
The Black Stars will have to compensate for the absence of Kudus and Semenyo through a collective effort, with the replacements expected to shoulder greater attacking responsibility.
The match could therefore offer an opportunity for players who have been waiting for a more prominent role to establish themselves in the national team.
For Côte d’Ivoire, the fixture represents the first major test of Renard’s new cycle and an opportunity to begin the qualifying campaign strongly in front of a home crowd.
With both nations having won the Africa Cup of Nations in the past, Thursday’s meeting carries considerable significance despite being the opening fixture of the qualifying campaign.
The contest in Bouaké will ultimately test Ghana’s ability to adapt to the loss of key players while challenging Côte d’Ivoire’s revamped squad and Renard’s tactical plans.
For Queiroz, the immediate task is to ensure that the absences of Kudus and Semenyo do not disrupt Ghana’s overall approach as the Black Stars begin their journey towards the 2027 AFCON.
