The Black Stars will aim to seal qualification to the 2026 FIFA World Cup when they play as guests of the Central African Republic (CAR) at the Stade D’Honneur de Meknes in Morocco today.
It will be the team’s fifth attempt at the World Cup — a dream that appears within reach as the Black Stars currently lead Group I with 19 points.
Following closely behind Ghana in the group are Madagascar with 16 points and Comoros in third position with 15 points.
A win for the Ghanaians would ease the fears of some fans, especially considering the threat posed by Comoros, who have their sights set on a first-ever World Cup appearance.
Breathing heavily on the leaders’ necks, Madagascar will have to secure all three points in their penultimate clash against Comoros. However, a draw in that encounter would effectively end what is expected to be one of the closest finishes in the qualifiers for the global showpiece to be hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
That means Ghana could enter the final round of qualifiers with a comfortable three-point lead or more, making the last clash against Comoros a mere academic exercise.
Armed with these permutations, the Black Stars went into early camping in Casablanca, where they prepared for today’s decisive encounter. The team, however, departed yesterday for Meknes, where the match will take place.
According to information released by the Ghana Football Association (GFA), the team trained at the Mohammed V Sports Complex in Casablanca ahead of the CAR clash scheduled for 4 p.m. today at the Stade D’Honneur de Meknes.
The training session had 20 players in attendance, including Lawrence Ati Zigi, Benjamin Asare, Joseph Anang, Alidu Seidu, Gideon Mensah, Jerome Opoku, Ebenezer Annan, Christopher Bonsu Baah, Kamaldeen Sulemana, and Alexander Djiku.
The rest were Elisha Owusu, Thomas Partey, Kwasi Sibo, Prince Owusu, Mohammed Kudus, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku, Joseph Painstil, Jordan Ayew, Brandon Thomas-Asante, and Antoine Semenyo.
CAR’s campaign can confidently be said to be over, considering their position on the table. However, a date with the Black Stars is always one that no opponent takes lightly.
Despite Ghana’s inconsistencies in performance, they remain one of the continent’s most formidable sides — and a win over them could improve any opponent’s FIFA ranking.
As CAR’s last home game, they will look to give a good account of themselves by replicating their strong performance in the first leg in Kumasi, where Ghana came from behind late in the game to win 4-3.
After that match, CAR complained bitterly about officiating, believing they were treated unfairly to aid the Black Stars. That remains their opinion — but if they want to prove it, they will have to do so by beating Ghana today.
Coach Otto Addo has assured fans that CAR will not be underrated in any way, a statement that should comfort supporters eager to see the team finish the qualifiers strongly.
With his full squad available, Coach Otto Addo stands on the verge of etching his name into the history books as the man who guided Ghana to its fifth appearance at the FIFA World Cup.
— By Andrew Nortey
