Two defeats. Six points adrift. And a new coach with barely enough time to fix a team that cannot protect a lead. Ghana's Black Stars have reached the first crisis point of their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.

On Thursday, interim coach Kim Lars Björkegren must begin a six-point rescue mission against Somalia or watch the Black Stars sink deeper into qualification danger.

The team’s most unlikely manager, who led the Black Queens to win bronze at the 2024 Women’s AFCON, now transitions into a challenging task with the senior men’s team, and must demonstrate he can restore control to a team that has forgotten how to protect it.

The mathematics of Ghana’s AFCON qualifying campaign are as brutal as the team’s troubling performances.

The Black Stars, missing key players due to injuries, lost 2-0 to Côte d'Ivoire, then surrendered a two-goal advantage against The Gambia before collapsing to a 4-2 defeat in Accra.

Six goals conceded and no points collected tell the story of a side struggling for defensive organisation, game management and composure.

The situation has left the four-time African champions bottom of Group C, with no room for another lapse.

Now Somalia stand between Ghana and a possible revival, with both qualifiers scheduled for the Essipong Sports Stadium in Sekondi on November 12 and 16.

The second fixture is officially Somalia's home match, but Ghana will have the advantage of familiar surroundings for both encounters.

For Björkegren, the immediate challenge is not simply winning. It is restoring authority to a team whose inability to control matches has become its greatest vulnerability.

Two victories would lift Ghana to six points and potentially transform the Group C picture, particularly with Côte d'Ivoire and The Gambia, both already on six points, facing each other twice. Anything less would complicate an increasingly difficult qualification campaign. 

Former Black Stars forward Nii Odartey Lamptey sees no alternative. "If we want to qualify for AFCON, no matter what, we have to win these two matches," he told Accra based Asempa FM, urging the players to honour national duty and management to make them feel valued.

"It's a privilege to be called to represent their country," he stressed.

Björkegren's biggest test

Björkegren has inherited more than a damaged qualification campaign. His immediate problem is a side whose concentration can disintegrate within minutes.

The Gambian defeat was particularly damaging. Ghana established a two-goal advantage but surrendered control, allowing opponents back into a contest they should have managed far more effectively.

The Swede’s organisational discipline, emphasis on collective responsibility and ability to build confidence helped revive the women's team.

Whether those qualities can translate immediately to the men's side is the defining question.

Working alongside assistants Ibrahim Tanko and Godwin Attram, Björkegren must address the defensive disorganisation and tactical fragility exposed against Côte d'Ivoire and The Gambia.

He has a few days to tighten defensive distances, sharpen the press and organise midfield against transitions. There is no time for a tactical revolution.

The essentials must become non-negotiable: defend together, respond decisively when possession is lost and slow the game when protecting a lead.

Returning quality

Björkegren's prospects could improve considerably with the expected return of Mohammed Kudus, captain Jordan Ayew and defender Mohammed Salisu, although Manchester City attacker Antoine Semenyo remains unavailable.

Kudus has not featured for Ghana since the October 2025 World Cup qualifying victory over Comoros. A thigh injury subsequently ruled him out of the 2026 World Cup, but the Tottenham attacker has three assists in eight Premier League appearances this season.

His creativity, ability to beat defenders and capacity to carry the ball through congested midfield areas could supply the attacking spark Ghana have lacked.

Ayew scored his first Sheffield United goal against Charlton Athletic on Saturday, albeit in defeat. Salisu has returned to action at Monaco after a lengthy anterior cruciate ligament injury lay-off, although limited recent playing time raises questions about his sharpness.

There is encouragement elsewhere. Lyon winger Ernest Nuamah has six goals and one assist in 13 club appearances and is back in contention after a muscle problem.

Midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi at Coventry City and forward Abdul Fatawu Issahaku at Ipswich Town have also gained Premier League experience this season, increasing the options available to the new technical team.

Yet Somalia will test more than Ghana's individual quality. The decisive measure at Essipong will be whether the Black Stars can establish authority, turn pressure into goals and hold their shape when the contest changes.

Thursday offers the first three points. Next Monday offers three more.