Carlos Queiroz backs Ghana squad despite injury setbacks ahead of Cote d’Ivoire clash

[p]The Black Stars will be without several experienced players, including captain [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ayew-jordan/6Nj04peg/"]Jordan Ayew[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kudus-mohammed/hzbcXxIG/"]Mohammed Kudus[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/semenyo-antoine/r1Gz1yPk/"]Antoine Semenyo[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/thomas/pMErKGnf/"]Thomas Partey[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/baba-rahman/K2yVXyhU/"]Baba Rahman[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/seidu-alidu/bi8NhkWD/"]Alidu Seidu[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/adjei-nathaniel/z1as6ykH/"]Nathaniel Adjei[/a] are also unavailable, forcing Queiroz to make several changes to his squad.[/p][embed guid="1de97ca8-00a9-4d7c-b8bb-238e770eece9" url="https://x.com/GhanaBlackstars/status/2103003544022618463?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]The withdrawals have opened the door for a number of younger players, including [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/adjetey-jonas/lSi0EUb8/"]Jonas Adjetey[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ibrahim-rahim/vi1f3NP6/"]Rahim Ibrahim[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fuseini-mohammed/WGjCvAZ0/"]Mohammed Fuseini[/a], while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tetteh-benjamin/rqqoj1jM/"]Benjamin Tetteh[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/afena-gyan-felix/G4pacAW7/"]Felix Afena-Gyan[/a] and other additions have also strengthened the squad.[/p][p]Despite losing several established names, Queiroz insists the players who have reported for duty are now the most important members of his team.[/p][p][b]“We don’t like to see players injured. We love to see the best players on the pitch all the time. But sometimes it’s not possible,”[/b] Queiroz said at his pre-match press conference.[/p][p]“What is possible is and what we need to be sure that we brought here are talented players, full of enthusiasm and great talents of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ghana/nNBjHale/"]Ghana[/a].[/p][p]“So the most important players in our team are the ones that are here today. We are a strong team. We have a lot of potential. We have full confidence that the players we have called are ready to perform.”[/p][p]The Portuguese coach also believes the current group of young players can eventually become the experienced core of the Black Stars.[/p][p]“In the past, these experienced players were the young players of the past. Tomorrow, the young players will be the experienced players of the future.”[/p][embed guid="cb8c1861-b83f-40eb-8542-8cf1d3285ab7" url="https://x.com/CAF_Online/status/2103031784145375384?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Ghana face a difficult opening assignment against Cote d’Ivoire, who are beginning their qualifying campaign under returning coach Herve Renard.[/p][p]The Elephants have also introduced several young players into their squad, with Renard naming eight newcomers for the opening qualifiers.[/p][p]Queiroz is focused on starting the qualification campaign positively, insisting that securing a place at the 2027 AFCON is the Black Stars' first objective.[/p][p]“We are here to play to win one specific competition and all national teams in this moment they have one specific competition called qualification. That's the first cup that you have to win.”[/p][p]“I’m sure that both teams want to win. I expect and I hope that we will be the team with more inspiration to get the right result tomorrow.”[/p][p]The match will be played at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake on Thursday, September 24th, with kick-off scheduled for 21:00 CET.[/p][image alt="Owuraku Ampofo" id="345f5fd0-6a26-4f45-8078-6462582c5da7" credit-line="Flahscore" guid="bf8477c9-2703-4f67-81ba-3b9df4b5b307" original-width="1200" original-height="381" /]