Ghana vs Somalia Tips: Ghana to Get Off the Mark
Back Ghana to beat Somalia. Both sides have lost their first two qualifiers, but Somalia have scored only once and Ghana regain Kudus, Ayew, Partey and Salisu for the trip to Takoradi.
Ghana vs Somalia. Thursday, 12 November 2026, 17:00 SAST. AFCON Qualifiers. Essipong Sports Stadium, Takoradi.
Match comparison
| Team | Recent performance | Key detail |
|---|---|---|
| Ghana | 0 points from two qualifiers | Six goals conceded |
| Somalia | 0 points from two qualifiers | One goal scored |
Ghana have already used up their margin for error
Ghana lost 2-0 to Ivory Coast and 4-2 to Gambia. The second defeat hurt more: the Black Stars led 2-0 before conceding four times, leaving them six points behind both opponents in Group C.
That collapse makes a big winning margin difficult to argue for. The immediate task is three points against the other side still on zero, and Somalia's attack has offered much less than Gambia's.
Kudus and Salisu address different problems
Mohammed Kudus returns to the squad for the first time this year. Jordan Ayew and Thomas Partey also return after missing the first two qualifiers, while Mohammed Salisu is back after missing both the World Cup and the opening qualifying matches.
Salisu's return matters particularly after those six goals conceded. Ghana have already shown against Gambia that they can establish a lead; this time they need to keep it. Antoine Semenyo is unavailable, so the attacking additions do not amount to a full-strength forward line.
Somalia have not kept either opponent out
Somalia lost 2-1 to Gambia and 2-0 to Ivory Coast. Those defeats were less damaging than Ghana's four-goal collapse, but they still conceded twice in each match and produced only one goal in reply.
The match is in Takoradi, not Accra. Ghana's selection changes and Somalia's limited scoring make the home win the call, with the defensive recovery more important than the size of the score.
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