2027 AFCON Qualifiers: Black Stars must fight for a win against The Gambia - Abukari Damba
Former Ghana goalkeeper Abukari Damba has urged the Black Stars to “go all out” for victory when they face The Gambia in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier on Tuesday.
Ghana began their qualifying campaign with a 2-0 defeat by Ivory Coast in Bouake last Thursday, leaving Carlos Queiroz’s side under pressure to respond with a positive result.
Damba believes The Gambia will be highly motivated after winning their opening qualifier and expects the Scorpions to present a difficult challenge.
Speaking to the Graphic Sports, he said Ghana must match The Gambia’s determination and remain disciplined throughout the encounter.
“The Gambians will come well prepared because they know what Ghana is capable of. They will come with the hope of winning, or at least picking a point, so we have to go all out and fight for the victory,” he said.
The former international goalkeeper said The Gambia would also be aware of Ghana’s pedigree in African football and could adopt a cautious approach aimed at frustrating the Black Stars.
Ghana will be without several experienced players, including Mohammed Kudus, Antoine Semenyo and Jordan Ayew, but Damba believes their absences should provide an opportunity for the younger members of the squad to make their mark.
He urged the emerging players to justify the faith placed in them by Queiroz rather than view the absences as a setback.
“We don't need to cry over spilled milk. We have good replacements, and this is an opportunity for them to be counted. They need to show up,” he stated.
Damba remains confident that Ghana have enough quality to overcome The Gambia but warned that victory will require concentration and discipline.
“It is going to be a tall order, but we have the potential to beat The Gambia. They cannot fail Ghanaians,” he noted.
He also cautioned the Black Stars against allowing their desire to attack and win the game to disrupt their tactical discipline.
According to Damba, abandoning the coach’s instructions or losing concentration could leave Ghana vulnerable to unnecessary danger.
The match is scheduled to kick off at 16:00 GMT.
The Black Stars are seeking to return to the AFCON after missing out on the 2025 tournament in Morocco, ending a run of more than two decades of consecutive appearances at the competition.