AFCON 2027 Qualifiers: Supercomputer Predicts Ghana’s Chances of Qualifying After Ivory Coast Loss
- The Black Stars suffered a 2-0 defeat to Côte d'Ivoire in their opening 2027 AFCON qualifier, extending their winless run to seven matches
- Ghana failed to qualify for the 2025 AFCON and now faces the prospect of missing a second consecutive tournament
- With five Group C matches remaining, Ghana must collect points starting with their next fixture against The Gambia
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Ghana's hopes of reaching the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations are under serious pressure after the Black Stars fell to a 2-0 defeat against Côte d'Ivoire in Bouaké, their opening fixture in Group C of the AFCON 2027 qualifiers.
The result stretched Ghana's winless run in AFCON qualifying to seven consecutive matches, leaving Carlos Queiroz's side with zero points after the first round of fixtures in a group that also includes The Gambia and Somalia.
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Supercomputer predicts Ghana's AFCON chances
Only two spots are available in Group C, and the race for them has already taken shape.
The Gambia and Côte d'Ivoire moved to the top of the standings with three points after the opening round of games.
Meanwhile, Ghana sits at the foot of the group, but with five matchdays still remaining, the campaign is mathematically far from over.
According to Football Meets Data, the Black Stars have a 66.2% chance of qualifying for the continental showpiece in East Africa.
The AI model gives the four-time African champions a 9.8% probability of finishing first and a 56.4% chance of taking second spot.
As expected, Côte d'Ivoire has a 97.2% chance of qualification and is tipped to finish first, with The Gambia expected to take the third spot.
The Scorpions have been given a 36.5% outside chance to qualify, with Somalia having just a 0.2% probability of making it to the AFCON.
In order to materialise the projection, the Black Stars' next assignment is a critical Group C fixture against The Gambia, a match that has taken on added significance given the current standings.
A failure to collect points in that contest would leave Ghana in severe danger of trailing the pace in the group with limited room for recovery.
History adds to Ghana's pressure
The stakes are heightened by the fact that Ghana missed out on the 2025 AFCON entirely, finishing bottom of their qualifying group with three draws and three losses.
A second successive absence from the continent's premier international tournament would represent a significant setback for a nation that has historically been one of African football's most prominent sides.
The path is narrow but not yet closed: consistent performances across the remaining fixtures could still secure one of the two qualification places on offer.
What is clear is that Ghana cannot afford further dropped points if they are to avoid the humiliation of back-to-back AFCON absences.
The match against The Gambia now stands as a must-not-lose fixture for Queiroz and his squad.
2023 curse on Black Stars resurfaces
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that a three-year-old prediction by Swiss coach Raoul Savoy had resurfaced after Ghana’s latest setback in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
The Black Stars have now gone seven consecutive AFCON qualifying matches without a win, renewing talk about Savoy’s supposed curse on the team.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
