Ghana’s dreams of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup are under added pressure after Madagascar and Mali grabbed vital wins in their qualification quest.
The two countries, which share the same qualification group as Ghana, have picked up precious points, turning the Black Stars’ next encounter against Chad into a do-or-die affair.
Madagascar, who have been in fine touch throughout the qualifiers, continued with their strong rhythm as well by dominating with an impressive display that garnered three points for them which position them on the upper end of the table.
The Barea defeated Central African Republic 4-1 on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Mali’s thumping 3-0 victory over Comoros on Thursday has further boosted their cause, demonstrating that quite contrary to being pushovers in the World Cup qualification fight, they are serious business.
For Ghana, these victories have left them with no margin for error when they host Chad on Friday at the Accra Sports Stadium.
The Black Stars, who have enjoyed mixed fortunes so far in the tournament, will need a strong performance to get their World Cup hopes back on track.
As pressure mounts from the fans and the football fraternity, head coach Otto Addo must ensure that his team delivers when they take to the pitch.
A victory against Chad would not only add points to Ghana’s tally but also bring faith back to the team to navigate the qualifiers.
Anything less could make their trip to North America 2026 much harder.