Mohammed Kudus could be the key to Ghana’s hopes of reviving their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign when the Black Stars take on Somalia in a crucial double-header later this month.
After back-to-back defeats to Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia, Ghana find themselves rooted to the bottom of Group C without a point, making the two matches against Somalia must-win encounters.
The defeats exposed several weaknesses in the Black Stars’ play, particularly a lack of creativity, cutting edge in attack and the ability to produce moments of individual brilliance when the team needed them most.
That is why the return of Kudus could prove decisive.
The Tottenham Hotspur star is widely regarded as Ghana’s most influential attacking player, capable of changing the course of a match through his vision, dribbling and technical quality.
His ability to unlock compact defences with incisive passes and intelligent movement gives Ghana an attacking dimension that was sorely missing in their opening qualifiers.
Kudus is also one of the few players capable of creating chances on his own. Whether driving past defenders, carrying the ball from deep or producing a moment of magic in the final third, the 26-year-old has consistently shown he can make the difference in difficult matches.
Beyond his creativity, Kudus’ presence alone changes the way opponents defend. His reputation forces teams to devote extra attention to him, creating more space for teammates to exploit in dangerous areas.
The Ghana international also offers a significant goal threat. Comfortable scoring from open play or set-piece situations, Kudus has repeatedly demonstrated his ability to deliver in high-pressure moments for both club and country.
With Ghana’s qualification hopes already hanging in the balance, the Black Stars will be looking to their biggest stars to lead the response, and Kudus is expected to play a central role if selected.
Somalia may enter the tie as underdogs, but Ghana can ill afford another slip-up. Maximum points from the two matches are essential if the Black Stars are to get their AFCON campaign back on track.
The big question now is whether Kudus should be the first name on the team sheet as Ghana seek to reignite their qualification hopes against Somalia.
