Ghana winger Ernest Nuamah is a major doubt for the Black Stars’ upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Somalia after suffering a muscle injury at French club Lyon.
The 23-year-old has been struggling with a muscle strain, raising concerns over his availability for Ghana’s crucial November double-header as the Black Stars seek to revive their disappointing qualification campaign.
Nuamah’s injury became apparent after he missed Lyon’s UEFA Europa League encounter against Real Sociedad on Thursday. Lyon interim manager Jorge Maciel subsequently confirmed that the Ghanaian’s availability for Sunday’s Ligue 1 meeting with Brest remains uncertain.
Providing an update on the injured players, Maciel said: “They’ve suffered muscle strains.”
“We hope to have them back for Sunday’s match in Brest. We’re waiting for an update; we don’t yet know if they’ll be fit or not. We’ll see how things are progressing when we return to Lyon,” he added.
Nuamah has been an important attacking figure for Lyon this season, using his pace, direct running and goal-scoring ability to make an impact in the French side’s campaign.
The former FC Nordsjælland winger has made 13 appearances across all competitions, scoring six goals and providing one assist.
His possible absence would be a setback for Ghana, particularly with the importance of the two encounters against Somalia. The first meeting is scheduled for the Essipong Stadium before the teams travel for the return fixture.
The Black Stars are under pressure to deliver positive results after a disappointing start to their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign. Ghana suffered a 2-0 defeat to Ivory Coast in Bouaké before dropping further points against The Gambia at home.
Those results have left Ghana bottom of Group C, making maximum points from the Somalia double-header crucial to their qualification ambitions.
With Nuamah’s fitness uncertain, head coach Kim Lars Björkegren and his technical team may have to consider alternative attacking options as preparations continue for the two important fixtures.
