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.”

The Black Stars attacker made a substitute appearance as the Sky Blues secured a 3-2 victory over Ipswich Town in the highly competitive clash at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday. Semenyo replaced Belgian-Ghanaian forward Jeremy Doku in the 77th minute.

However, the victory was overshadowed by injury concerns involving several key players, including Semenyo, Erling Haaland, Nico O’Reilly, Matheus Nunes and Mateo Kovacic.

Speaking after the match, Maresca expressed hope that Semenyo’s injury was not a serious one.

“Hopefully they [Semenyo and Haaland] are good, but they are big players for us.

“Same for any team losing their best two players. It’s difficult for everyone, but we’ll see what’s happened and hopefully find a solution,” Maresca told Sky Sports after the game.

The former Chelsea manager provided further details on the players’ conditions while speaking to the club’s media.

“I asked all of them. Mateo said he was okay, Matheus said he was okay, Erling said he was also okay. Nico, it’s still his back. The only one we need to wait on was Antoine, and we will see,” he said.

The Ghana international has continued to make an impact for the Premier League giants this season, scoring two goals and providing three assists in nine appearances across competitions.

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.

Both countries will use the match to assess their squads during the September-October international window, which also includes two qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

Ghana will open its qualifying campaign against Côte d’Ivoire on September 24, before hosting The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium on September 27, 2026.

The friendly against Morocco is scheduled for a 7:00 pm kick-off (Morocco Time) at the Grand Stade de Tanger.

Credit: Ghana FA

Their campaign combined defensive discipline with attacking efficiency, conceding just once in three games while finding goals through Luis Díaz and Jhon Durán. They secured first place ahead of their final group match, allowing head coach Néstor Lorenzo to rotate in Matchday 3.

The Black Stars survived a dramatic Group L to reach the knockouts. Carlos Queiroz’s side finished third with 4 points — 1 win, 1 draw, 1 loss — after beating Panama, drawing with England, and falling 2-1 to Croatia in Philadelphia. Ghana’s progression to the Round of 32 was confirmed on goal difference, setting up a knockout date with Colombia.

Group results no longer matter. Colombia enter as favorites after a controlled group campaign, but Ghana have already shown they can live with tournament heavyweights, holding England to a goalless draw before a narrow defeat to Croatia.

For Ghana, this is the real World Championship starting now. For Colombia, it’s a chance to match their 2014 quarterfinal run and prove their Group K form was no fluke.

What to Watch

Colombia’s Press vs Ghana’s Midfield — Jefferson Lerma and Kevin Castaño will look to disrupt Thomas Partey and Kwasi Sibo. Ghana’s ability to play through the press with Partey’s passing will be key.

Wide Battles — Luis Díaz against Marvin Senaya is a headline matchup. On the other side, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku, Ernest Nuamah and Antoine Semenyo offer Ghana pace in transition.

Set Pieces — Ghana scored via Derrick Luckassen’s header vs Croatia. Colombia are strong aerially with Davinson Sánchez and Yerry Mina.

Colombia bring form, rhythm, and a settled XI into Kansas City. Ghana bring a coach who believes qualification is just a credit card.  The match will be played on Saturday, July 4, at 01:30 (5:30am – Sunday, July 5 in Ghana) at Kansas City Stadium. The winner moves to the Round of 16.

Credit: Ghana FA

The defender headed Ghana level in the 73rd minute at Lincoln Financial Field, but Nikola Vlasic’s late winner meant Carlos Queiroz’s side finished Group L with a defeat.

“Yes, it was a nice feeling to score. But I’m a bit disappointed about the loss,” Luckassen said.

“First half, very different style. Second half, very different style. I think first half we had the ball, but we didn’t do a lot with it. We were just playing around.”

“Second half, I think we pressed forward. We tried to put the balls in, and it was a lot better in the second half, in my opinion.”

Ghana had already secured qualification before kickoff but Luckassen insisted the target was still three points.

“Before the match, we want to win every game. Obviously, we knew that we were through, but you want to win every match and that’s what we tried today as well. We are trying to do our best, to give our best and every game we are trying to make the nation proud. On to the next game, we have to keep on going.”

On Ghana’s progression, he added: “It’s very important. We are through and that’s the most important. We hope we can come even further because that is what we want and we will give our best to come further.”

Luckassen said the Black Stars’ run reflects a wider trend: “I think it’s big for all the African countries. You can see that everybody is improving. There are very good national teams in Africa, and I think you can see it in this World Cup.”

Credit for Ghana’s structure went to Queiroz. “I think discipline. We are disciplined. We know what we have to do and he’s clear in what he wants from the team.”

Ghana now face Colombia in the Round of 32 on July 4 in Kansas City.

Credit: Ghana FA