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AFCON 2027 Qualifiers: Black Stars have the quality to beat Somalia – Frimpong Manso

Former Ghana international Frimpong Manso believes the Black Stars have enough quality to overcome Somalia in their upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying double-header, irrespective of the players selected.

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Ghana are scheduled to face Somalia on November 12 and 16, with both matches expected to be played on home soil as the team look to revive their faltering qualification campaign.

Speaking to Sporty FM, Manso urged the interim technical team, led by Black Queens coach Kim Lars Björkegren, to give locally based players an opportunity, arguing that the domestic league has enough talent to strengthen the national team.

However, the former Asante Kotoko player and coach warned Ghana against taking Somalia lightly, stressing that the standard of football across Africa has improved considerably.

“The fact that we are promoting the use of local players doesn’t mean that the Somalis don’t know how to play. Football has changed a lot because CAF is allowing many teams to qualify for African tournaments. They are increasing the number,” he said.

Despite acknowledging the growing competitiveness of African football, Manso remains convinced that Ghana should have little difficulty beating Somalia at home.

“But compared to us, as footballers, we don’t have to struggle to win against Somalia, although the others are catching up. For me, I think we should be able to win against Somalia at home, no matter the kind of players we call up,” he added.

Manso pointed to The Gambia as an example of how sustained investment in youth football can transform emerging nations into competitive forces on the continent.

Ghana suffered a disappointing 4-2 defeat against The Gambia in their previous Group C fixture after surrendering a two-goal lead.

“The rise of Gambia isn’t recent; they started with the youth teams. And if you look at their players at the back who play in Europe, they are not pushovers. Those who played against us, I’m not sure you will find most of them playing for foreign-based clubs,” he said.

The former Bibiani Gold Stars coach also highlighted how the changing football landscape has made African competitions increasingly unpredictable, with players from lower divisions capable of challenging established football nations.

He believes Ghana’s success against Somalia will ultimately depend on selecting players who are committed to delivering their best for the country.

“For me, my point is that Somalia, yes, they are coming up. But if we bring players that will give off their best, Somalia cannot stand us,” he stressed.

The Black Stars are bottom of Group C without a point after losing their opening two qualifying matches against Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia.

Having missed out on the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, Ghana are under pressure to collect maximum points from both encounters with Somalia and revive their hopes of qualifying for the 2027 tournament.