Semenyo sustained the problem in Saturday’s Premier League victory over Ipswich.

Maresca said the club had feared the injury could have been even worse.

The City boss said: “After the scan we feel much better because it’s not as bad as we expected.

“It could be eight weeks, so now the most important thing is for him to recover.”

Maresca delivered a more positive update on Erling Haaland after he left the field limping at the weekend following a blow to the foot.

“He can be available,” Maresca said ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash against AEK Athens. “We have a session now and we’ll see.”

Despite taking a 2-0 lead, Carlos Queiroz’s side collapsed in the second half to leave Ghana bottom of Group C with no points from two games.

Queiroz made three changes from the side that lost to Cote d’Ivoire, handing Benjamin Asare a start in goal, with Jonas Adjetey replacing the injured Alexander Djiku and Felix Afena-Gyan coming in for Christopher Bonsu Baah.

Ghana started on the front foot as expected and were rewarded in the 18th minute. Abdul Fatawu Issahaku’s corner kick from the right found Jerome Opoku, who was fouled in the box for a penalty.

Ernest Nuamah smashed home the opening goal in the 27th minute as he coolly slotted the ball into the bottom right corner to bring the stadium alive. Six minutes later, Felix Afena-Gyan drilled home a delightful low drive into the bottom corner to give Ghana a 2-0 lead.

The Gambia, who were without star man Yankuba Minteh, responded well and pulled one back from the spot through Mohammed Badamosi in the 37th minute. Ebrima Colley then found space in the box before planting the ball into the back of the net for the equaliser.

The Gambia came out transformed after the break, but it was Ghana who made two quick substitutions, with Benjamin Tetteh and Ibrahim Sulemana coming on for Brandon Thomas-Asante and Kwasi Sibo.

The turning point came in the 71st minute. A quick counter-attack caught Ghana’s defence out and Mohammed Badamosi slotted home to give the visitors a 3-2 lead, silencing the Accra crowd.

Queiroz introduced Augustine Boakye and Christopher Bonsu Baah for Kojo Peprah Oppong and Ernest Nuamah to add more attacking options, but Ghana struggled to create clear chances with The Gambia sitting deep.

The defeat was sealed in the 88th minute when Ebrima Colley delivered the decisive blow, scoring his second goal of the night to complete a memorable 4-2 victory for The Gambia.

The result leaves Ghana in a difficult position in Group C. The Gambia move to six points from two games.

Credit: Ghana FA

Carlos Queiroz’s side held a recovery and training session a day after arriving from Bouaké, where Ghana suffered a 2-0 defeat to Cote d’Ivoire in the group opener on Thursday.

The team is now focused on bouncing back against the Scorpions. Training on Saturday involved recovery work for those who started in Bouaké, while the rest of the squad went through full tactical drills.

Ghana will host The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium on Tuesday, September 29, 2026. The Black Stars will be desperate to get their qualification campaign back on track with a win in front of their home fans.

The team will continue preparations with a final training session on Monday before the matchday.

Our team photographer Emmanuel Osei was at the Accra Sports Stadium to capture these moments:

Credit: Ghana FA

Carlos Queiroz’s side began their campaign with a 2-0 defeat to Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké on Thursday, leaving Ghana without a point ahead of their first home assignment. Goals from Malick Yalcouyé and Franck Kessié condemned the Black Stars to a difficult start.

The result makes Tuesday’s encounter an important opportunity for Ghana to open their points account and regain momentum in Group C, which also includes Somalia.

Queiroz will again have to work with a reshaped squad after several established players became unavailable. Mohammed Kudus withdrew as he continues his recovery following a lengthy injury lay-off, while Antoine Semenyo and other players have also been affected by injuries.

The coach subsequently added nine players to his squad, including Jonas Adjetey, Alidu Seidu, Ebenezer Annan, Rockson Yeboah, Rahim Ibrahim, Brandon Thomas-Asante, Mohammed Fuseini, Benjamin Tetteh and Felix Afena-Gyan.

Ghana will need to produce greater attacking efficiency after struggling to turn possession and opportunities into goals in Bouaké. Queiroz is expected to demand a more assertive display from his players, particularly in the final third, as they seek to make home advantage count.

The Gambia will also arrive in Accra with points in mind. The Scorpions are scheduled to begin their qualifying campaign against Somalia later this evening before travelling to Ghana, giving their clash with the Black Stars added significance.

The fixture also comes against the backdrop of continued corporate support for Ghana’s national teams. MTN Ghana is the headline sponsor of the Black Stars, Black Queens, Black Satellites and Black Starlets under a US$2 million, two-year partnership with the Ghana Football Association running until August 2027. The agreement is designed to support preparation and development across the four national teams.

With the campaign now underway, Ghana will be seeking to repay that support with a strong response on the pitch.

The Black Stars host The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium on Tuesday, September 29, with kick-off scheduled for 4:00 p.m. GMT.

The match at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake proved to be a revisit of the infamous debacle of the Black Stars in 1984 when they bowed out of the Afcon at the group stage as defending champions.

The Stars began well, matching the Elephants boot-for-boot in a pacey start to the Group C qualifiers.

It got a little heated at some point, leading to Algerian referee Mustapha Ghorbal flashing the yellow card to Coventry City’s Brandon Thomas-Asante.

With a minute to end the first half, Thomas-Asante’s Premier League mate Malick Junior Yalcouye, who was making his debut for the national team, caught the Ghanaian defence off-guard to send in a 20-yard strike to beat Lawrence Ati-Zigi at the near post and send the home fans into raptures.

Twelve minutes after the break, Yalcouye benefitted from a soft penalty after he was touched by another Premier League star Abdul-Fatawu Issahaku.

Referee Ghorbal may have made a mistake with the call but Ivorian captain Franck Kessie made no mistake as he doubled the lead for the Elephants.

Ghana came close to halving the score with Coventry City midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi hitting a free ball at goalkeeper Yahia Fofana.

Substitute Benjamin Tetteh also had his free header saved by the Turkey-based goalie.

It ended 2-0 as the Black Stars return home to prepare for their next qualifier against The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium on Tuesday, September 29.

The Group C clash at the Stade de la Paix pits two former African champions against each other at the start of a qualifying campaign that will run through March 2027. Ghana will host The Gambia on September 29, while Côte d’Ivoire face Somalia.

Ghana’s preparations have been disrupted by late withdrawals. Mohammed Kudus, initially recalled after missing the 2026 World Cup through a seven-month injury layoff, has opted to continue his recovery rather than join the Black Stars. Antoine Semenyo has also withdrawn with an ankle problem, while reports on Tuesday indicate captain Jordan Ayew is also doubtful with a knee injury. Baba Rahman has separately withdrawn through injury.

Those absences leave Queiroz looking towards Ernest Nuamah, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku, Ibrahim Osman, Christopher Bonsu Baah and Prince Adu Kwabena for attacking inspiration. The coach has already introduced fresh options, with Jan Gyamerah and Ronald Donkor among the players rewarded with call-ups after good club form.

Ghana’s recent competitive experience provides some encouragement. Queiroz guided the Black Stars to the 2026 World Cup knockout stage, where their campaign ended with a 1-0 defeat to Colombia.

Côte d’Ivoire, meanwhile, are also beginning a new chapter. Hervé Renard has returned for his second spell in charge and named a 25-man squad containing eight newcomers. However, the Elephants are without injured Amad Diallo and Wilfried Singo, while several established players, including Sébastien Haller and Simon Adingra, are absent.

Renard’s experience gives the encounter another dimension. He won the AFCON with Zambia in 2012 and Côte d’Ivoire in 2015, and previously worked with Ghana as part of Claude Le Roy’s technical team.

The Ivorians retain significant quality through players such as Franck Kessié, Ibrahim Sangaré, Evan Ndicka and Ousmane Diomandé, while Nicolas Pépé and Elye Wahi offer attacking threats.

Historically, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire have produced closely contested encounters. Their most famous recent meeting was the 2015 AFCON final, which Côte d’Ivoire won on penalties after a goalless draw. The teams also drew 0-0 in their most recent meeting, a 2021 friendly in Cape Coast.

With both sides undergoing changes, Thursday’s encounter carries significance beyond the opening three points. It will test Ghana’s squad depth and Queiroz’s ability to adapt, while offering Renard an immediate competitive examination of his rebuilding project.

For Ghana, the challenge is to negotiate Bouaké without several key players and establish a strong foundation in Group C. For Côte d’Ivoire, home advantage and the beginning of Renard’s new cycle add further expectations to an already highly anticipated West African encounter.

The Starlets started the game brightly and took the lead through Eric Adu Gyamfi, who found the back of the net to break the deadlock and give the team a deserved advantage.

The goal lifted the confidence of the Ghanaian side, who controlled large spells of the game and continued to push forward in search of more goals.

However, Uganda responded before halftime and drew level through a corner kick situation, bringing the game back to 1-1 heading into the break.

The Black Starlets returned strongly for the second half and restored their lead through Abdul Latif Wunzalgu, whose goal looked set to send Ghana to the FIFA U17 World Cup in Qatar later this year.

With the Black Starlets appearing to be in control and just minutes away from qualification, Uganda were awarded a penalty with about five minutes remaining in the contest. The East Africans converted from the spot to level the game at 2-2 and force the match into a penalty shootout.

The shootout proved dramatic and tense, with both sides converting several kicks. In the end, Uganda edged Ghana 8-7 on penalties to secure qualification to the World Cup.

The painful defeat means the Black Starlets will miss out on the 2026 FIFA U17 World Cup despite an impressive and spirited campaign in Morocco.

Head Coach Dr. Prosper Narteh Ogum and his players will now have to regroup and shift attention to the next qualification cycle.

Credit: Ghana FA

Tuesday’s draw divided the 48 participating teams into 12 groups of four, with the top two sides in each group qualifying automatically for the finals. Because Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda are guaranteed places as hosts, only one additional nation will progress from each of their groups.

The draw sets up a high-stakes qualification campaign for Ghana, which is seeking redemption after missing out on the 2025 AFCON in Morocco following a disastrous qualifying series in which the Black Stars failed to win a single match.

For a nation with four continental titles and one of Africa’s richest football histories, the latest qualifying campaign is being viewed as a defining moment in the rebuilding process of the senior national team.

The 2027 AFCON will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, with 48 countries competing across 12 qualifying groups. The top two teams from each group will advance to the finals.

While Somalia are considered the least experienced side in Group C, Ghana’s clashes against Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia are expected to shape the outcome of the qualification race.

The draw revives one of African football’s fiercest rivalries as Ghana prepare to face Côte d’Ivoire, a side currently regarded among the continent’s strongest teams following their recent resurgence under coach Emerse Faé.

The Elephants head into the qualifiers with renewed confidence and a squad blending experienced internationals with highly-rated emerging stars playing across Europe’s top leagues.

For Ghana, the encounters against their West African rivals are expected to test the progress of a team still attempting to regain consistency and identity after successive disappointments on the continental stage.

The Black Stars had previously suffered back-to-back group stage exits at the last two AFCON tournaments before failing to qualify entirely for the 2025 edition, deepening concerns over the direction of Ghana football.

The Gambia are also expected to present a difficult challenge after steadily establishing themselves as one of Africa’s emerging forces in recent years. The Scorpions have gained recognition for their disciplined tactical approach, compact defending and dangerous counter-attacking style, making them a potentially troublesome opponent in a tightly contested group.

Somalia, meanwhile, enter the qualifiers as outsiders after progressing through the preliminary stages, but their presence adds another layer of unpredictability to the campaign.

The qualifying series will begin during the FIFA international window from September 21 to October 6, 2026, when the opening two rounds of matches are scheduled to be played.

Matchdays three and four will follow from November 9 to 17, 2026, before the final qualification fixtures are played between March 22 and 30, 2027.

A total of 28 teams will qualify to play in the final tournament, including automatically qualified hosts Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

Credit: CAF

The team traveled with a 35-man contingent made up of 21 players and 14 officials, all focused on delivering a strong campaign on the continental stage.

The Starlets departed from Accra in the early hours of Wednesday and completed a smooth five-hour flight to Morocco, where final preparations will continue before the tournament kicks off.

The technical team is expected to fine-tune tactics and build cohesion among the squad as they gear up for the competition.

President Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku was present at the airport to bid farewell to the team. He encouraged the players and officials, assuring them of the unwavering support and confidence Ghanaians have in their ability to make the nation proud.

Ghana has been drawn in a challenging Group D, where they will face Algeria, Senegal, and South Africa. The group promises to be highly competitive, with each team aiming to secure qualification to the knockout stage.

The Black Starlets will be looking to reclaim their status as one of Africa’s dominant forces at the youth level.

Credit: Ghana FA

The prestigious course, scheduled to take place in Morocco from May 7 to May 13, 2026, is specifically designed for selected referees and assistant referees who will officiate at the upcoming U-17 AFCON tournament.

As part of CAF’s standard preparations for major competitions, the pre-tournament course aims to ensure uniform interpretation and application of the Laws of the Game while also assessing and improving the fitness levels of match officials ahead of the championship.

The programme will cover key areas such as integrity, player protection, match management, and tournament-specific officiating standards tailored to the demands of the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations.

This invitation comes across not only as a personal milestone but also another step forward in his officiating career, as he continues to make Ghana proud on the African football scene.

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Credit: Ghana FA