Ghana's Ernest Nuamah is a major doubt for November's AFCON 2027 qualifiers after a muscle strain at Lyon, just as the Black Stars need a reset.
Ghana have a fresh headache. Black Stars winger Ernest Nuamah is a serious doubt for the November AFCON 2027 qualifiers after picking up a muscle strain at Lyon, and the national team can ill afford to lose a player of his dynamism right now.
The 23-year-old sat out Lyon's Europa League clash with Real Sociedad on Thursday night, and that absence is what revealed the problem. Interim boss Jorge Maciel confirmed that Nuamah and teammate Moussa Niakhaté are both nursing muscle strains. The club hopes to have them back for Sunday's Ligue 1 trip to Brest, but Maciel admitted nothing is certain until the medical staff reassess the pair back in Lyon.
The timing could hardly be worse for Ghana. The Black Stars play twice this month, with the first match set for the Essipong Stadium, and they are trying to revive a qualifying campaign that has stuttered. Nuamah's pace and directness on the flank have been a big part of Lyon's attack this season, and Ghana will want that edge in matches they must win.
For now, it is a waiting game. If Nuamah shakes off the strain quickly and gets minutes against Brest, the Black Stars can breathe easier. If not, the coaching staff will have to find another way to light up the wings.
