By Kwame Bediako
After a 4–2 home defeat to The Gambia, Ghana’s situation has become genuinely serious. The Black Stars have zero points from two Group C matches, following the 2–0 loss to Côte d’Ivoire. The Gambia now have six points.
But the immediate question isn’t just “Should Queiroz go?” It is: what needs to change, and who is responsible for changing it?
1. Ghana needs a serious technical review
Going 2–0 up and then conceding four goals cannot simply be dismissed as one bad night. The collapse exposed problems in defensive organisation, game management and the team’s response when momentum shifted. Ghana also had about 71% possession but only three shots on target, while The Gambia had four from six attempts.
The GFA needs to assess the coaching team’s tactical decisions, substitutions, defensive structure and ability to manage games.
2. Queiroz’s position will inevitably come under scrutiny
Queiroz has said resignation isn’t the solution and that his future ultimately rests with the GFA and results.
That means the football authorities now have to make a clear decision: back the project with concrete expectations, or change direction. What shouldn’t happen is allowing uncertainty to continue while the qualification campaign slips away.
3. The players also have to take responsibility
Ghana were two goals ahead at home. Whatever tactical shortcomings existed, experienced internationals have to recognise when a game is turning against them and slow it down, regain control and protect the result.
This cannot become a situation where everything is blamed on the coach.
4. The GFA needs to look beyond the next match
The deeper issue is bigger than this qualifying campaign. Ghana missed AFCON 2025 and have now lost their opening two qualifiers for AFCON 2027.
There needs to be a proper football strategy covering:
- Black Stars recruitment and player development
- Coaching appointments and contracts
- Youth-to-senior transition
- Technical structures within the GFA
- Player availability and commitment
- Performance standards
- Accountability when targets aren’t met
5. Don’t panic but don’t pretend everything is fine
The next qualifiers aren’t until the November 9–17, 2026 FIFA window, giving Ghana roughly six weeks to analyse what went wrong and make meaningful changes.
So, where do we go from here?
Back to the drawing board but this time with accountability.
The 4–2 defeat isn’t just about losing three points. Ghana surrendered a two-goal lead at home, remain pointless after two matches, and now need a major turnaround in the remaining qualifiers.
The question for the GFA isn’t simply “Can Ghana still qualify?”
It’s “What exactly are we building, who is responsible for it, and what changes are we prepared to make now?”
