Ghana’s journey to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco has hit a critical juncture as the Black Stars gear up for a must-win encounter against Angola on Friday at the Estadio 11 de Novembro in Luanda.

A glimmer of hope emerged for the struggling Black Stars after Niger delivered a stunning 4-0 victory over Sudan in Lome on Thursday. Despite this, the result pushed Ghana to the bottom of the group standings, intensifying their challenge.

For Ghana to keep their AFCON dreams alive, they must secure all three points against the already-qualified Palancas Negras. A win would place them within two points of Sudan, setting the stage for a tense final round of matches. However, their path remains steep, as victories against Angola and Niger, coupled with Sudan dropping points, are necessary to guarantee qualification.

Complicating matters for coach Otto Addo is a growing list of injuries to key players. Central defenders Alexander Djiku and Mohammed Salisu are sidelined, alongside Brighton’s Tariq Lamptey and Feyenoord prospect Ibrahim Osman. Jerome Opoku and Jonas Adjetey join them on the absentee list, while attacking options have also been depleted with Antoine Semenyo and Inaki Williams ruled out.

Despite these setbacks, Addo has brought in replacements, hoping they can rise to the occasion and deliver Ghana’s first win in the qualifiers.

Meanwhile, Angola, under coach Pedro Goncalves, have little pressure but plenty of pride at stake. They have already secured their AFCON berth and boast an impressive unbeaten streak since March 2024. Determined to maintain their form, the Palancas Negras will not make things easy for the Black Stars.

As Ghana battles against the odds, their clash with Angola promises to be a high-stakes encounter that could define their AFCON destiny.