Former Ghanaian professional footballer John Painstil has warned the Black Stars of Ghana against underestimating the prowess of their opponents in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
According to him, although the group Ghana has been placed in is not a difficult one, they need to prepare adequately for the qualifiers.
The Black Stars are expected to square off with Mali, Madagascar, Comoros, the Central African Republic (CAR), and Chad.
The former defender said in an interview that Family Radio monitored the group and that, although it might not seem threatening, it is a challenging group.
“It’s not a difficult group, but a tricky one. We have Mali, Madagascar, the CAR, and the Comoros, which have a history with us. The Comoros believe their history against us at the Nations Cup is still there,’’ he said.
With the exception of Chad, the senior national team of Ghana has played every opponent in the group. With four World Cup appearances, Ghana appears to have a stronger pedigree than her competitors.
John Painstil, however, has advised the team to prepare for the competition rather than undervalue their opponents.
“Countries paired against Ghana in the group have the upper hand because they have nothing to lose by playing us. If we beat them, it’s no use, but if they beat us, it’s big news, and that tells you it’s a tricky group.’’
“Mali is the most stubborn football country in Africa because they can upset you anytime,’’ John Painstil asserted.
Source: 1Familyradio
