2027 AFCON Qualifiers: Kim Lars Björkegren identifies areas for improvement after Ghana's win over Somalia

Interim Black Stars coach Kim Lars Björkegren says Ghana must improve their speed of play and finishing despite securing a 2-0 victory over Somalia in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

The four-time African champions recorded their first win of the qualifying campaign on Thursday at the Essipong Sports Stadium, recovering from a disappointing start to their Group C campaign.

Defender Jonas Adjetey opened the scoring before Felix Afena-Gyan added a second-half goal to secure all three points for Ghana.

However, Björkegren admitted his side struggled to find their rhythm in the opening half, suggesting the conditions in Sekondi may have affected the players.

"We were struggling a little bit. I don't know if the heat was too much, but the intensity was a bit low in the first half," the Swedish coach said after the match.

The interim coach was more pleased with Ghana's performance after the break, highlighting the improvement in energy and control as the game progressed.

"We raised our energy, entertained the fans and had good chances. Overall, we controlled the game, even if we did not take all our chances.

"I am happy for the win and hopeful we can have another good game on Monday," he added.

Despite the positive result, Björkegren believes there is room for improvement, particularly in the team's ball circulation and ability to convert scoring opportunities.

"I think we can play the ball a bit faster than we did, especially in the first half. But I respect the effort because the heat makes it not easy to play.

"Of course, we can improve on many aspects from today's game, especially in terms of taking our chances," he said.

The victory moves Ghana to third place in Group C with three points, although they remain on a goal difference of minus two.

The Black Stars will face Somalia again on Monday, 16 November, at the Essipong Sports Stadium, with another victory crucial to strengthening their qualification hopes.

Ghana are seeking a return to the continental showpiece after failing to qualify for the 2025 edition in Morocco.

The 2027 AFCON tournament will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.