Ghana will look to cement their place at the top of Group E when they host Central African Republic. A spot in Ivory Coast is very much up for grabs, making the game at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium an exciting one.
Preview (Ghana vs. Central African Republic)
On June 18, Ghana and Madagascar played to a scoreless tie at the Kianja Barea Mahamasina. They earned a share of the victory for the second straight game. Chris Hughton’s team was guilty of a lack of sting in attack as they failed to threaten the Barea. They settled for a draw despite having over 60% of the ball possession and dominating the game. Ghana had a perfect record in the qualifying rounds in their previous four Group E games. It includes a 1-1 draw with Central African Republic in June 2022, and they have played to three draws.
The Black Stars are now in first place in Group E with nine points after five qualifying games. They are one point ahead of Angola in second place and two points ahead of Thursday’s visitors. Following two away matches, Ghana is now back at home. They have won seven straight matches dating back to a scoreless tie with West African rivals Nigeria in March 2022. Ghana has participated in nine straight AFCON tournaments since 2006. The West African superpower must at least draw on Thursday. It will guarantee a tenth consecutive place at the continental championship.
On the other hand, the Central African Republic had a respectable qualification campaign. They are currently one victory away from making their first-ever Africa Cup of Nations debut. In June 2022, Angola defeated Raoul Savoy’s team 2-1. In their next three matches, they upped the ante and earned seven out of a possible nine points. During this stretch, the Central African Republic beat Madagascar both at home and away. They defeated Romuald Rakotondrabe’s team with five goals and two clean sheets.
Team News
Hughton has selected a veteran 25-man group, which included players like Jordan Ayew, Inaki Williams, and Orlando Pirates goalie Richard Ofori, who was forced to withdraw from the World Cup last year due to a serious knee injury. Mohammed Kudus, who just moved to Premier League team West Ham United, has also been called up by the Black Stars, and Abdul Baba Rahman, a former Chelsea full-back, is back in the lineup. The sole home-based player on the 25-man list is Jonathan Sowah, who receives his first call-up to the national team. Thomas Partey, an Arsenal midfielder, is the most noticeable absence for the hosts after recently suffering an injury.
On the other hand, Central Africa Republic has named 24 players for the match on Thursday, including Geoffrey Lembet, Marco Yapende, and Amiens striker Louis Mafouta. Mafouta has excelled with Les Fauves, and the 29-year-old is currently third in the qualifying scoring statistics, just behind Nigerian attacker Victor Osimhen and Senegal forward Sadio Mane. However, the veteran midfielder Kondogbia, who has been sidelined since mid-August after suffering an injury while playing for Marseille, will not be available for the Central African Republic when they take the field.
We believe that Ghana and the Central African Republic would start the game aggressively against each other because qualification is on the line. The Black Stars are favorites to win all three points in front of their home fans, though, given the gap in quality and experience between the two teams.
Ghana 2 – 0 Central African Republic
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