The Aporia · Ivory Coast vs Ghana lineups: Starting XIs, confirmed team news, injury latest for AFCON qualifier

Ivory Coast vs Ghana lineups: Starting XIs, confirmed team news, injury latest for AFCON qualifier

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Young, A. (2026, September 24). Ivory Coast vs Ghana lineups: Starting XIs, confirmed team news, injury latest for AFCON qualifier. Evening Standard. https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/ivory-coast-vs-ghana-lineups-starting-xi-confirmed-team-news-injury-update-afcon-b1298022.html

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Quick Summary

Ivory Coast will host Ghana in Bouake as part of an Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualification match on September 24th. Both teams, ranked 31st and 65th globally, are expected to secure spots for the finals. However, Ghana faces challenges with key players Jordan Ayew and Antoine Semenyo out due to injury. The article provides lineups: Ivory Coast starts with Fofana in goal and a defensive lineup including Ndicka and Diomande, while Ghana's lineup includes Ati-Zigi in goal but lacks their usual strikers.

Written by AI on 2026-09-24, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

On January 12, Ivory Coast faces Ghana in Bouake for the first round of qualification for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which has been moved to summer from its traditional winter schedule. Herve Renard, who previously led Ivory Coast to AFCON glory in 2015, returns as coach with a squad featuring eight newcomers and experienced players like Franck Kessie and Ibrahim Sangare.

Ghana, ranked 65th globally compared to Ivory Coast's 31st, is looking to bounce back after missing the 2025 finals by finishing last in their qualifying group. Ghana’s head coach Carlos Queiroz faces challenges as key players Jordan Ayew, Antoine Semenyo, and Mohammed Kudus are unavailable due to injuries. The match will be streamed live on GTV Sports+.

This qualifier is crucial for both nations aiming to secure spots at the 2027 AFCON finals hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.

Written for “Ivory Coast Vs Ghana AFCON Qualifier” on 2026-11-02, grounded in this article and the 2 other(s) covering the same event.

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sentences that state something as happening or true

Uncertain

1 of 17 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

Leaning

not political

takes no side on a contested political question

Publisher signals

65/100

Evening Standard's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.

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Same framing elsewhere

articles that frame the event the way this one does

Who wrote this

Alex Young

62 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

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Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 62 articles by Alex Young →

Narrative

Claims (17 extracted, 1 hedged)

Ivory Coast face Ghana in Bouake as action from Group C of Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualification begins tonight. asserted

action → face → qualification

These two nations, ranked 31st and 65th in the world respectively, are expected to seal a place at next summer's finals - hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania - so this showdown is likely to go a long way in determining who tops the group. asserted

who → rank → group

As the home side, Cote D'Ivoire will start the game as slight favourites in their first competitive outing since losing a World Cup last-32 clash against Norway in the summer. asserted

D'Ivoire → start → summer

Herve Renard has returned for a second spell as head coach, naming a squad packed with a mixture of youth and experience. asserted

Renard → return → youth

Ghana, meanwhile, have been dealt a double blow ahead of tonight's showdown with captain Jordan Ayew and Antoine Semenyo forced to withdraw from the squad because of injury. asserted

Ayew → deal → injury

This means head coach Carlos Queiroz will be without three of the Black Stars' best attackers as Mohammed Kudus has not been called up despite a return to fitness. asserted

Kudus → mean → fitness

Away we go! asserted

we → go → ?

As it stands The other two teams in Group C, Somalia and Gambia are in action tomorrow. asserted

teams → stand → action

Not long now The national anthems have been observed, as have the pre-match pleasantries between both sets of players and officials. asserted

pleasantries → observe → players

Carlos Queiroz speaks This is what the Ghana head coach has said about tonight's showdown. “I’m sure the first winners of the game tomorrow will be the fans. asserted

winners → speak → game

The fans will enjoy a lot to see great players on the pitch. asserted

fans → enjoy → pitch

“We understand it’s a local derby when Ivory Coast plays against Ghana… with such potential and passion of players on the pitch, we expect a great match.” asserted

we → understand → match

HERE WE GO! asserted

WE → go → ?

Ghana fixtures 24/09 - Ivory Coast (a) 29/09 - Gambia (h) 04/10 - Morocco (a) Ivory Coast fixtures 24/09 - Ghana (h) 29/09 - Somalia (a) 03/10 - Cameroon (h) Team news reminder Here is how both teams will line-up tonight. asserted

line → line → ?

Ivory Coast XI: Fofana; Konan, Ndicka, Diomande, Zogbe; Sangare, Yacoulye, Kessie; Pepe, Bonny, Diomande Substitutes: Lafont, Kone, Agbadou, Toure, Oulai, Tape, Gboho, Doue, Ouattara, Diaz, Kone, Fofana, Wahi, Zabi Ghana XI: Ati-Zigi; Oppong, Opoku, Djiku, Mensah; Sibo, Yirenkyi; Bonsu, Nuamah, Fatawu; Thomas-Asante Substitutes: Boakye, Asare, Tetteh, Annan, Gyan, Gadafi, Rahim, Sulemana, Adjetey, Anang, Yeboah, Donkor Ghana team analysed It could be a 4-4-2 or a 4-2-3-1 shape for Ghana tonight, but without Antoine Semenyo, Jordan Ayew and Mohammed Kudus, the onus will fall on Thomas-Asante and Nuamah. uncertain

onus → analyse → Asante

Ivory Coast team analysed Make that four changes to the Ivory Coast side that started their last senior competitive match against Norway at the World Cup. asserted

that → analyse → Cup

Ndicka, Diomande and Zogbe are brought into the defence, and there's a debut for Brighton midfielder Yacoulye. asserted

Ndicka → bring → Yacoulye

Ivory Coast vs Ghana lineups: Starting XIs, confirmed team news, injury latest for AFCON qualifier

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Claims (17 extracted, 1 hedged)