Former Ghana goalkeeper Abukari Damba told Graphic Sports that the national side should not dwell on the injuries that have taken key players out of the lineup before their must‑win AFCON qualifier against Gambia on September 29 at the Accra Sports Stadium.
The squad has been reshuffled after the withdrawal of several high‑profile names, including captain Jordan Ayew, Mohammed Kudus, Antoine Semenyo, Alidu Seidu, Baba Rahman, Nathaniel Adjei and Prince Kwabena Adu. The new roster mixes debutants with relatively new faces, a mix that Damba believes is ready to step up.
“We don’t need to cry over spilled milk,” Damba said. “We have good replacements, and this is an opportunity for them to be counted. They need to show up.”
Echoing the sentiment, head coach Carlos Queiroz called on fans to rally behind the available squad. “Better to stay home if you’re coming to the stadium to complain about players that are not here, instead of supporting those that are here,” Queiroz said during the pre‑match press conference.
Gambia enter the fixture after a win against Somalia, while Ghana are looking to recover from a defeat by Ivory Coast in their opening match in Bouaké. The game is scheduled to kick off at 4:00 pm.
Ghana will now rely on the new group of players to secure the three points needed to keep their AFCON hopes alive, while Gambia will seek to build on their recent form.
