2027 AFCONQ: Black Stars ready for The Gambia clash – Daniel Gasper

Ghana's goalkeepers' trainer, Daniel Gasper, has urged the national team to move past their recent 2-0 loss to Ivory Coast and concentrate on their upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against The Gambia. The Black Stars suffered a disappointing defeat at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake last Thursday, leaving them at the bottom of Group C without any points as they gear up for their first home match of the campaign.

Ivory Coast opened the scoring shortly before halftime through Malick Yalcouyé, who scored his first international goal with a powerful strike from outside the penalty area. The hosts further extended their lead in the 58th minute when Franck Kessié converted a penalty, converting calmly after Abdul Fatawu Issahaku brought down Yalcouyé inside the Ghanaian penalty area.

Although the Black Stars protested the decision, the referee upheld it and Kessié made no error from the spot. Despite the setback, Gasper believes Ghana must let the defeat go as they prepare for their next challenge. He stated, "It is not the result we wanted but it is what it is. Ivory Coast are one of the top teams in Africa; we have to respect that, but we are ready for the next game."

Ghana will face The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium on Tuesday at 16:00 GMT. The Gambians began their qualifying campaign with a win, making their fixture against Ghana even more crucial. Ghana missed out on the 2025 AFCON finals in Morocco and is eager to avoid another failure in their quest to return to the continental tournament.

The Black Stars' manager, Carlos Queiroz, will be hoping for a strong performance against The Gambia as they attempt to get their Group C campaign back on track.