Ghana international Marvin Senaya made his long-awaited return to competitive football on Sunday after a four-month injury layoff, featuring in AJ Auxerre's 5-1 defeat to Strasbourg in the French Ligue 1.

The Black Stars defender made his first appearance of the 2026/27 season when he came on as a second-half substitute in the Matchday 9 clash at the Stade de la Meinau.

Senaya replaced Congolese defender Christ Makosso in the 63rd minute, marking his comeback after recovering from the injury he sustained during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

However, his return could not inspire a turnaround as Strasbourg cruised to an emphatic victory. Dário Essugo, Hugo Oliveira and Martial Godo all found the net, while Gessime Yassine scored twice to complete the rout.

The 25-year-old had been sidelined since suffering a serious hamstring injury during Ghana's Round of 32 defeat to Colombia at the FIFA World Cup in North America. The injury required surgery and a lengthy rehabilitation programme, forcing him to miss the opening months of Auxerre's league campaign.

Prior to the setback, Senaya had established himself as an important member of the Black Stars squad, delivering a series of impressive performances as Ghana reached the knockout stage of the World Cup for the first time since 2010.

His return to action is a timely boost for both Auxerre and Ghana, with the Black Stars set to face Somalia in a crucial two-legged 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying tie later this month. As he continues to regain full match fitness, Senaya will be hoping to reclaim his place in the national team and build on the momentum he enjoyed before his injury.