Ghana’s national football team, the Black Stars, will begin their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign on Thursday.
Fresh off their recent success in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, where they secured back-to-back wins against Mali and the Central African Republic (CAR), the team is aiming to maintain their momentum as they face Angola and Niger.
The Black Stars will host Angola’s Palancas Negras in their Group F opener at the Baba Yara Stadium on Thursday, September 5, with the match scheduled to start at 16:00 GMT. They will then travel to Berkane to face Niger in their second group game on Monday, September 9.
Match Preview
Otto Addo’s return as Ghana’s head coach has been promising, with the team recording two wins and a draw in four matches under his leadership, despite a setback against Nigeria and a 2-2 draw in a friendly against Uganda in March.
Ghana’s recent form has been impressive, highlighted by a thrilling 2-1 victory over Mali and a 4-3 win against the Central African Republic in the World Cup qualifiers. In the latter match, both teams displayed attacking prowess, with Louis Mafouta netting a hat-trick for CAR, and Jordan Ayew matching that feat for Ghana, along with a goal from Abdul Fatawu.
After a disappointing group-stage exit in the last AFCON, which led to the dismissal of Chris Hughton, the Black Stars have rebounded and are now eyeing a third consecutive victory across all competitions—a feat they haven’t achieved since July-August 2022. Ghana also holds an unbeaten record against Angola, with two wins and two draws in their previous four encounters.
However, Angola enters the match in high spirits, having won the COSAFA Cup in July for the fourth time. Led by Pedro Goncalves, Angola went undefeated in the tournament, capping it off with a 5-0 victory over Namibia in the final, where Victor Pedro Nanque scored twice. The Palancas Negras are seeking their 10th AFCON appearance, having reached the quarterfinals in the last edition before being eliminated by Nigeria.
Team News
Ghana’s squad sees the return of key players like LA Galaxy winger Joseph Paintsil, Kingsley Schindler, Anderlecht’s Majeed Ashimeru, and Athletic Bilbao forward Inaki Williams, who all missed the June World Cup qualifiers.
Leicester City’s Jordan Ayew, who has scored in five consecutive games for Ghana, is expected to lead the attack, supported by West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus.
In defense, FC Basel’s Jonas Adjei Adjetey has been called up to replace Alexander Djiku. Twenty-two players trained at the Baba Yara Stadium on Tuesday, although Elisah Owusu and Jordan Ayew were absent from the session.
Angola is expected to field a formidable attack featuring Mabululu and Gelson Dala, who were instrumental in their AFCON campaign. Kialonda Gaspar is likely to anchor the defense alongside David Carmo.
Head-to-Head
Ghana and Angola met during the qualifying rounds for the last AFCON held in Ivory Coast. The Black Stars secured a 1-0 home victory, with Antoine Semenyo scoring the only goal, and later held Angola to a 1-1 draw in the return leg.
Predicted Lineups
Ghana: Ati-Zigi, Seidu, Mumin, Salisu, Mensah, Samed, Partey, Fatawu, Kudus, Semenyo, Ayew
Angola: Neblu, Mata, Gasper, Carmo, Cruz, Fredy, Show, Nteka, Milson, Mabululu, Dala
Prediction: Ghana 2-1 Angola