Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz has defended his team selection after the Black Stars suffered a second consecutive defeat in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, insisting he used the best players available to him.
The four time African champions were beaten 4-2 by The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium on Tuesday, throwing away a two-goal lead to suffer another disappointing result in Group C.
The Black Stars had been hoping to bounce back from their 2-0 defeat by Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké last Thursday, but instead endured another setback in their bid to qualify for the 2027 AFCON.
Queiroz made changes during the second half as he looked to revive Ghana’s fortunes, with Ibrahim and Augustine among those introduced.
The Portuguese coach was asked about the options available to him after the defeat and maintained that he had already used his best available resources.
“We have the best players available to play this game, inside the pitch and outside the pitch, and when some of our players are not on fresh legs, we have to make decisions,” Queiroz said after the match.
“I think Ibrahim came in very well into the game; he had a good performance in the second half. He brought the team forward.
“I think Augustine brought the team forward as well. But unfortunately, we were not able to score.
“All our best available resources played the match. If you want to tell me another player that you suggest to come in, I will appreciate that.”
The defeat leaves Ghana without a point from their opening two Group C matches and facing an uphill task to revive their qualification campaign.
The four-time African champions must now regroup quickly, with their next qualifiers coming in October against Somalia in a double-header at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Ghana are seeking to return to the continental showpiece after missing the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, ending a run of more than two decades of consecutive appearances at the tournament.
