The Black Stars lost 4-2 at home to Gambia in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, surrendering a two-goal lead at the Accra Sports Stadium and drawing boos from the crowd. The defeat leaves Ghana with no points from their first two games, following an earlier loss to Cote d’Ivoire in Bouake, placing them at the bottom of their group.
Former Sports Minister Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye said the team has hit a new low and called for an urgent overhaul of how Ghana’s national teams are managed. “Our national team is gone because we have problems; we have used the cow-dung management style for all this time, where we feel everything is okay on the surface, but there are problems underneath,” Vanderpuye said during an interview on Joy FM.
He argued that the current situation is serious and requires a critical review. “It’s high time we bring expert people together with the current group of people managing our football to look at how our national teams are being managed,” Vanderpuye added.
The Black Stars’ loss to Gambia came in the second round of the qualifiers. Ghana initially took the lead twice in the game, but defensive lapses and missed chances allowed the visitors to come back and score four goals. The home fans expressed their frustration loudly after the final whistle.
Ghana’s failure to earn points from their opening matches raises concerns about their chances of advancing in the competition. The team faces pressure to regroup quickly before their next fixtures.
Vanderpuye’s remarks echo growing calls among fans and commentators for changes in the administration and strategy of Ghanaian football. The phrase “cow-dung management style” refers to a tendency to ignore underlying problems while pretending everything is fine.
The loss to Gambia is one of the heaviest home defeats for Ghana in recent AFCON qualifying history and reflects deeper issues within the team’s structure and preparation. With the qualifiers underway, there is little time left to reverse course.
As of now, the Black Stars sit at the bottom of their group, having yet to claim a point. Efforts to address the management problems Vanderpuye described will be closely watched by supporters eager for a return to the team’s former successes.
According to Joy Online.
