Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz believes the Black Stars and Côte d’Ivoire have similar attacking qualities ahead of their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying opener in Bouaké.
Ghana will take on the Elephants on Thursday, September 24, in their opening Group C fixture, with both former African champions looking to begin the qualifying campaign with a positive result.
Queiroz expects an attacking encounter, highlighting the strength, creativity and technical ability of players on both sides.
“Ivory Coast have players with a lot of power, creativity, [and] skill, who like to play attacking football. I can say the same thing about these qualities for Ghana,” the Portuguese coach said.
Since returning to the Black Stars job, Queiroz has emphasised his attacking approach, insisting that his team must be willing to take the game to opponents when in possession and immediately work to win the ball back when they lose it.
That philosophy could set the stage for an entertaining contest against Côte d’Ivoire, who are beginning a new era under coach Hervé Renard.
Renard, who has returned for a second spell in charge of the Elephants, has included eight newcomers in his squad for the qualifiers.
Ghana have also seen changes to their squad, with Queiroz recalling several players as he begins another chapter with the Black Stars.
Player availability has, however, been a major issue ahead of the fixture, with a number of key players either ruled out or withdrawing from the squad.
Despite the challenges, Queiroz remains focused on the task ahead and believes the outcome will ultimately be decided by what happens on the pitch.
