Nuamah doubtful for key AFCON qualifiers, Ayew eyes fresh start at Leicester

Black Stars head coach Otto Addo faces the prospect of missing his promising forward Ernest Nuamah for Ghana’s upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Angola and Niger. 

Nuamah, who has been making waves at Olympique Lyonnais, lasted just 17 minutes on the pitch during his team's 2-0 defeat of Mohammed Salisu’s AS Monaco at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais last Saturday.

The 20-year-old was forced off due to a thigh injury, leaving the pitch in visible disappointment as Lyon’s medical staff assessed the extent of the damage.

This was only his second consecutive start for the club in the current French top-flight season.

It remains unclear whether Nuamah will recover in time to join his Black Stars teammates for their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixtures against Angola at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi on September 5, followed by an away match against Niger in Niamey on September 9.

Nuamah has been a crucial part of Addo’s rebuilding strategy, featuring in all four of his matches during his second stint as Black Stars coach this year. He notably scored in Ghana’s 2-1 victory over Mali in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Bamako on June 6.

While Nuamah’s availability is uncertain, Coach Addo can rely on midfielder Majeed Ashimeru, who has returned to action following a calf injury that sidelined him for over two months. Ashimeru played a key role in RSC Anderlecht’s 1-0 win over Dinamo Minsk in their Europa League final qualifier first leg at the Mezőkövesdi Városi Stadion last Friday.

Ashimeru last represented the Black Stars in their 2-2 draw with Mozambique during the Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d'Ivoire on January 22.

Meanwhile, Black Stars veteran Jordan Ayew says he is looking for fresh challenges and the spark at Leicester City after making his debut for the Foxes in their 1-2 loss to Fulham last Saturday.

Ayew joined the former English Premiership champions last Thursday from Crystal Palace and said he was looking forward to helping the club in achieving their ambitions upon their return to the topflight league.

He links up with Black Stars colleague Abdul-Fatawu Issahaku, who played a pivotal role in Leicester’s promotion and subsequently signed a long-term deal with the Foxes.

Despite his extensive experience with 212 appearances for Palace across six seasons and a total of 275 English top-flight appearances, Ayew is determined to prove himself at his new club and make an immediate impact.

“Even though I’m 32, I still have a lot to improve on,” Ayew said. “I’m not here to just hang around; I’m here to work hard and help the team reach their targets. I’m confident that this will be a successful season for us, alongside the fans.”

Ayew also praised his younger compatriot Issahaku, who had a successful loan spell with Leicester last season and helped secure their return to the Premier League.

“I’m happy for him [Issahaku] because he has done exceptionally well,” Ayew remarked. “He’s young and has a bright future ahead, but I’m here to support him and everyone else. We need to use our experience to guide the younger players and I expect them to support me as well. It’s all about teamwork.”

He made his senior debut for Ghana in 2010 and has since made over 100 caps for his country, featuring for them in two FIFA World Cups in 2014 and 2022, as well as six Africa Cup of Nations, helping them to finish runners-up in 2015.