BREAKING NEWS: Carlos Queiroz sacked as Black Stars coach with immediate effect

Carlos Queiroz has been sacked as head coach of the Ghana national team with immediate effect following a difficult spell in charge of the Black Stars.The decision comes after a disappointing start to Ghanas 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, with the four-time African champions suffering back-to-back defeats to Cote dIvoire and The Gambia.Ghana opened their Group C campaign with a 2-0 defeat to Cote dIvoire in Bouake on September 24, before suffering an even more damaging 4-2 loss to The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium five days later.The defeat to The Gambia was particularly painful as Ghana surrendered a two-goal lead after Ernest Nuamah converted a penalty and Felix Afena-Gyan scored a spectacular free-kick to put the hosts 2-0 ahead.The Scorpions fought back before half-time and eventually completed a remarkable comeback to condemn Ghana to their second successive defeat, leaving the Black Stars without a point from their opening two qualifiers.Queiroz's tenure had started with Ghana qualifying for the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Black Stars defeated Panama 1-0, drew 0-0 with England and lost 2-1 to Croatia in the group stage before exiting the tournament with a 1-0 defeat to Colombia in the Round of 32.Although Ghana progressed from the group, the campaign ended without a win in the knockout stage and exposed several areas that required improvement, particularly in attack.CAF noted that Ghana struggled to create clear chances against Colombia and were eventually eliminated by Jhon Arias' 14th-minute goal.The subsequent collapse in the opening two AFCON qualifiers intensified pressure on Queiroz.Following the defeat to The Gambia, the Portuguese coach had rejected calls for his resignation, saying that his future was ultimately in the hands of the Ghana Football Association and the results achieved by the team.His reported dismissal now brings his time as Black Stars coach to an abrupt end, with the GFA facing the task of finding a replacement capable of reviving Ghana's AFCON qualification campaign.Ghana currently sit without a point after two matches in Group C and will need a significant turnaround in their remaining fixtures to keep their hopes of reaching the 2027 AFCON alive.