GHANA vs THE GAMBIA prediction

The context

Ghana are already under pressure. After a 2-0 defeat in Bouaké against Ivory Coast, the Black Stars sit bottom of Group C, while The Gambia opened their campaign with a 2-1 win over Somalia. With two tickets available in this group, Ghana are far from out of the race, but a home slip against The Gambia would be a serious blow.

Team news and form

Carlos Queiroz is still without several key players, including captain Jordan Ayew, Antoine Semenyo, Mohammed Kudus and Thomas Partey, all ruled out through injury. Against Ivory Coast, Ghana struggled to create chances with a reshuffled attack, and they will need a much sharper performance in front of their own fans.

The Gambia, coached by Jonathan McKinstry, arrive in Accra with confidence. The Scorpions beat Somalia thanks to goals from Colley and Badamosi, and they have shown in recent years that they can compete with Africa's bigger nations, reaching the quarter-finals of AFCON 2021.

Our verdict

On home soil at the Accra Sports Stadium, Ghana should have the edge, and they know that only a win will do. But with so many key players missing and a confident Gambian side in front of them, this match is far from a formality. We back the double chance Ghana or draw (1X) as the safest option: the Black Stars should avoid defeat in Accra.