Chris Hughton – Black Stars coach

 Ghana’s draw against Mali for the Africa Group I FIFA 2026 World Cup in USA, Canada and Mexico seem to have set tongues wagging over the Black Stars ability to make the grade to the Mundial.

There are four other coun­tries in the group; all with the potential to harm the Black Stars chances of qualifi­cation but very little is being said about them.

There is Madagascar and the Central African Republic (CAR), two emerging sides that have sent strong signals on what they are bringing to the African game.

Also in the mix is Comoros, a minnow that forced the Black Stars of Ghana to taste a lit­tle of the venom they possess in a 2022 AFCON finals clash.

Chad may be the least of wor­ries of Ghanaian fans. They are still struggling to emerge from their football shackles and are yet to even make any impact at either sub-regional or continental level.

But Mali is obvi­ously Ghana’s preoccupation for the right reasons despite cau­tions from the game’s players – both present and past, not to focus on just Mali.

Recently, a former Black Stars player, Emmanuel Agyemang Badu, described the Black Stars’ group as dangerous and tricky.

Agyemang Badu reportedly said: “The group looks man­ageable on paper, but very dangerous and tricky because of how football has evolved. It all depends on what a team does on the pitch, which includes the hard work put in, its mentality and desire to win for the nation.

He went on to confirm fans worry about the other coun­tries in the group, saying that, “with the exception of Chad, the Black Stars have played all the countries in the group and recorded very disappointing outcomes.”

That must be a genuine con­cern for every fan or stake­holder of the game that are interested in the Black Stars qualification to its fifth World Cup appearance.

In terms of head-to-head, Ghana boast of an impressive outing against these countries but sight must also not be lost on the fact that those impres­sive outcomes were achieved in the formidable days of the Black Stars.

As far back as 2013 when Ghana and Mali faced-off in AFCON qualifiers, Ghana pulled a 1-0 victory over the Malians at home but the Malians managed revenge in the second leg with a 3-1 win over the Black Stars in Bamako.

The two countries were drawn in Group B of the same tournament, where Ghana managed a 1-0 win at the group stage and lost the bronze medal game 3-1 to the same side.

That was followed by a friendly which they drew before Ghana recorded a 1-0 victory over them at the 2017 AFCON.

Three years on, specifically October 2020, Ghana lost 3-0 in an international friendly match against Mali in Turkey.

Ghana’s record looks quite impressive at the senior level but it appears statistics at the age-categorised compe­titions is what has sparked those anxieties.

Mali have improved signifi­cantly at the youth stages and have efficaciously managed the transitions of these youth into the senior side; making them one of the strongest sides at the moment and rep­resent an enormous threat.

What about the others?

In January 2022, the Black Stars clashed with Comoros in an African Cup of Nations meeting in which majority of fans expected a clean sweep but it was never the case.

After 90 minutes, Ghanaian fans licked their wounds after a disappointing performance that saw the Black Stars lost 3-2.

In the year 2022, CAR stretched the Black Stars to a pulsating 1-1 in an AFCON 2023 qualifier many believed was one of the stunning mo­ment in football.

What the pessimists failed to realise was the fact that CAR had been on a good run of form since 2021 when they stunned Nigeria 1-0 in Lagos in October in a 2022 World Cup qualifiers.

And when the Black Stars drew goalless with Madagascar in June 2023, it actually brought to the fore the team’s dwindling fortunes on the continent.

Other legends like coaches James Kuuku Dadzie, Joseph.Emman­uel Sarpong, John Paintsil, Mohammed Ahmed Polo and a few active players have shared similar views on Ghana’s chances.

Fact is, the Black Stars team is currently walking on a tight-rope, struggling to break down teams.

Individually, the team brag of very good and talented players that performs impres­sively for the re­spective club sides, weeks in and out but fail to produce half of the show for the Black Stars.

Mention the likes of Jordan Ayew, Kudus Mohammed, Jo­seph Painstil, Osman Bukari, Kamaldeen Sulemana, Thom­as Partey, Tariq Lamptey, Inaki Williams, Majeed Ashimeru, Salis Abdul Samed, Salisu Mohammed, Alexander Djiku, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku, Ernest Nuamah and many oth­ers and one would struggle to understand why Ghana does not have a formidable team.

The problem has been more of the quality they show on Ghana assignment. Others have expressed the opinion that the team has been strug­gling because the right crop of players are not invited.

Of a truth and without men­tioning names, some of the calls have been questionable. All of these have contributed to affect the team’s morale and fans desire to support the team.

It has brought about issues about commitment and dedi­cation to the national course spearheaded by fans as well as Ghana’s Minister of Youth and Sports.

But commitment and dedica­tion alone would not address that conundrum. If the right players are not selected, surely, the output would be raw.

This should surely be one of Coach Chris Hughton’s head­ache as he attempts to select the best from the players available.

At the moment, he has the in­dividual talents at his disposal but between now and when the qualifiers take off, he must be able to turn the unit to play like a team.

If Ghana is able to do that, there would surely be a way to navigate through what appears like stormy waters to Ghanaian fans all over the world.

But then, the focus must not just be Mali because the likes of Comoros, CAR and Mada­gascar have the wherewithal to just spoil a party and not qualify.

 By Andrew Nortey