After the Ghana Black Stars labored and toiled against Madagascar they finally found the breakthrough through Inaki Williams in the 93rd minute of the game, virtually, the last kick of the game.
That game saw Chris Hughton deploy a double-pivot of Baba Iddrisu and Salis Ahmed in the heart of midfield with the latter thrust with the responsibility of progressing the ball, creating, and giving the BlackStars an alternative when needed but it was least surprised that, he failed to effortlessly discharge that role for several reasons.
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In the second half, the technical team took a drastic initiative to effect some changes, Baba Iddrisu and Clermont defender, Alidu Seidu were subbed for Denis Odoi (Club Brugge) and Majeed Ashimeru (Anderlecht), who was making a return to the pitch in over two months. We all saw how this substitution changed the game.
Fast-forward, the BlackStars billed to play Comoros in the second qualifying game needed to pick a win if not a draw to complement their status on the league log but that didn’t materialize in the end they lost to Comoros twice in a calendar year, July 2023 in AFCON 2022 and as well as the 2026 World Cup game away at Moroni.
When the line-up popped up on my phone I began asking myself a plethora of questions. The first was why Andre Ayew was included in the starting phase of the game. This was a player that last featured on May 28, 2023, for Nottingham Forest against Crystal Palace, so logically, this was someone that didn’t have enough match fitness to even get a call-up to the national team not to talk of starting a crucial World Cup qualifying game against Comoros. So why then was he allowed to have a sniff at game time, I know the coach would push the experience narrative and all but as a football country that wants to achieve a set of realistic targets we have to be up and doing.
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In our home win against Madagascar, Ashimeru’s impact was instantly telling, the way he injected massive pace, and energy into the setup spoke volumes of what the setup lacked and needed from the get-go in the first half. His ability to find pockets of pace, link up beautifully with his teammates, and the transition was surreal not forgetting his defensive mop-up duties which allayed some margin of pressure on the team one would have thought that, Chris Hughton and his technical team would have found it expedient to start the silky midfielder considering how he turned the game on its head to favor the BlackStars but no they decided to start him from the bench yet again and this time we lost.
Another thing I found worrying in the game was how we failed to make use of the set pieces we got in the game. At the end of match proceedings, we managed to get twenty (20) set pieces, sixteen (16) by way of free kicks four (4) corners, and a single shot on target but in the end we failed to sting the palms of goalkeeper, Ben Boina in post for Comoros, such a sad feat for the once African powerhouse.
If there is something I’m still trying to come to terms with, it’s the attitude of this set of players. Their demeanor on the pitch was uninspiring, they played as if there was nothing at stake. At a point, I kept asking myself if these boys understood the magnitude of the games they were playing or if they were playing because they had been called to play for the Black Stars. They need to exhibit some level of seriousness because what we have seen so far is beyond admirable.
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If Ghana wants to make its fifth World Cup qualification to USA/Mexico and Canada they have to put in their maximum best because what we have seen so far is dismal needs to be remedied.
