Somalia captain urges teammates to give their best against Ghana

Somalia captain Abdullahi AbdulSamed has urged his teammates to focus on their performance and effort as they prepare to face Ghana in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying encounter.

The Ocean Stars face a difficult assignment against the Black Stars, who boast several experienced players with considerable international pedigree.

AbdulSamed insists his side must not use the condition of the playing surface as an excuse, stressing that their performance will ultimately depend on the effort they put into the game.

"It's all about the effort we put in and there is no excuse about the pitch conditions or anything like that."

The Somalia captain acknowledged the quality within the Ghana squad, describing the experience of the Black Stars players as a major challenge for his side.

"The big players here in the Ghana National team, they have experienced quality. They know where to stand and what to do"

AbdulSamed said his team had studied Ghana's performances before the encounter but admitted that seeing their opponents up close had provided a different perspective.

"We have watched them on tv and now we have experienced them close. But we have had meetings to discuss how to approach the game"

The captain will be hoping to lead Somalia to a positive result against Ghana as they continue their campaign for a place at the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.