We have to say sorry’ – Queiroz apologises after Ghana’s humiliating defeat to Gambia

By Angel No Lie | KPD Online | September 30, 2026

Black Stars head coach Carlos Queiroz has apologised to Ghanaian supporters after Ghana surrendered a two-goal lead and suffered a 4-2 defeat to The Gambia in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Ghana appeared to be in control after Ernest Nuamah converted a penalty in the 27th minute, before Felix Afena-Gyan doubled the advantage six minutes later with a free-kick.

The visitors, however, responded before half-time. Mohamed Badamosi pulled one back from the penalty spot before Omar Colley equalised, sending the two teams into the break level at 2-2.

The collapse continued after the interval. Ebrima Colley put The Gambia ahead after capitalising on an error by Ghana captain Gideon Mensah, before he scored again in stoppage time to complete the 4-2 victory.

Carlos Queiroz apologises after Ghana’s defeat to The Gambia

Queiroz takes responsibility

Speaking after the match, Queiroz accepted responsibility for the result and asked supporters not to direct the blame at his players.

“I take the responsibility for this result. Please leave the players, because it’s not their responsibility. They tried their best.”

He also apologised directly to Ghanaian supporters, saying he, his technical staff and the players were deeply disappointed by the outcome.

The Portuguese coach also acknowledged that Ghana’s defensive problems contributed to the defeat. He said conceding twice in the first half affected the team’s confidence and made it difficult for the players to perform as expected.

Black Stars surrender two-goal lead at Accra Sports Stadium

Ghana left without a point

The defeat leaves Ghana without a point from their opening two Group C matches after the Black Stars also lost 2-0 to Côte d’Ivoire in their opening qualifier.

The result also extended Ghana’s winless run in AFCON qualifying to eight matches, according to reports following the game.

Queiroz said the situation requires a broader review, pointing to the fact that Ghana’s poor run did not begin with the defeat to The Gambia.

The coach has also previously highlighted the number of unavailable players and injuries affecting his squad, although he stressed that these circumstances should not be treated as an excuse for the result.

Queiroz takes responsibility for Black Stars’ 4-2 loss

A difficult road ahead

Ghana’s defeat represents another setback in the Black Stars’ attempt to return to the Africa Cup of Nations after missing the 2025 tournament.

Queiroz, who was reappointed as Ghana coach earlier this month after initially stepping down following the 2026 World Cup, now faces renewed questions about how he and his team can turn around the national side’s results.

Despite the disappointment, the coach said he intends to learn from the defeat, describing his approach as: “You win or you learn.”

For Ghana, attention now turns to the remaining fixtures in Group C, with the Black Stars needing to recover points and address the defensive weaknesses exposed against The Gambia.