Ghana Suffers Another Blow as Baba Rahman Withdraws After Antoine Semenyo Exit

• Baba Rahman has pulled out of the Black Stars squad ahead of Ghana's 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign
• The defender becomes the fourth player to withdraw from Carlos Queiroz's original 24-man selection
• Ghana faces Côte d'Ivoire, The Gambia and Morocco across a demanding three-match international window
• A CAF License A coach told YEN.com.gh that the unexpected withdrawals could affect team chemistry and overall team play

Ghana has suffered yet another injury setback ahead of their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, with left-back Baba Rahman confirmed as the fourth player to withdraw from Carlos Queiroz's squad.

According to Ghana Media Hub, Rahman's exit is injury-related, coming just hours after Antoine Semenyo also pulled out of the same squad.

The two departures on the same day deepen what has already been a difficult preparation window for the Black Stars technical team.

Black Stars squad hit by a wave of withdrawals

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Rahman had been included in Queiroz's original 24-man selection for a three-match international window covering an AFCON qualifier against Côte d'Ivoire, another against The Gambia, and a friendly against Morocco.

He joins Mohammed Kudus, Nathaniel Adjei and Semenyo in withdrawing from that group, leaving Queiroz to reshape his plans at short notice.

The experienced defender's absence creates a specific problem at left-back. However, considering Gideon Mensah and Ebenezer Annan are both in the squad, coach Queiroz won't sweat over Baba's absence.

Coach reacts to growing Black Stars player withdrawal

Reacting to Baba's injury and withdrawal, coach Prince George Koffie told YEN.com.gh:

“The repeated withdrawals are a concern because, from a coaching perspective, they can affect the team’s chemistry, tactical balance, and overall performance," he began.

"When players pull out at short notice, you have to go back to the drawing board and adjust your plans, and that can disrupt the understanding and combinations you have been building in training.

He added:

"It becomes even more difficult when the absences involve key players in different positions because the replacements may need time to settle into their roles and understand what is expected of them.

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"As a coach, you want to have a settled group that understands each other, but when there are several changes in a short period, it can take away some of that continuity.

"In a competitive game, those small details matter because cohesion, communication and tactical discipline can make a big difference in how the team performs.”

Tight schedule with limited room for error

Following the Côte d'Ivoire fixture on September 24, Ghana returns home to host The Gambia in Accra five days later.

The window then closes with a trip to Tangier to face 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-finalist Morocco on October 4.

Three matches in under two weeks leaves little margin to manage the squad, and the mounting injury list has reduced the depth Queiroz had originally intended to work with.

The early withdrawals of Kudus and Semenyo, both key attacking figures, already altered the balance of the group before Rahman's latest exit added further concerns at the back.

Queiroz adds 9 players to Ghana squad

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Carlos Queiroz had expanded Ghana’s squad after several key players, including Mohammed Kudus, withdrew for medical reasons.

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The nine additions cover different positions, including four defenders, one midfielder and four forwards from clubs across Europe and Asia.

Source: YEN.com.gh