Ghana defender Nathaniel Adjei has withdrawn from the Black Stars squad for the upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers after suffering a hamstring injury during Lorient’s 2-1 defeat to Le Mans on Saturday.
GHANASoccernet.com reports that Adjei started the Ligue 1 encounter at the Stade Marie-Marvingt and played 75 minutes before being substituted.
Following an assessment by Lorient’s medical team, the 24-year-old centre-back is expected to spend between two and three weeks on the sidelines, ruling him out of Ghana’s upcoming international fixtures.
The injury comes as a major setback for Adjei, who had recently earned a recall to the Black Stars after more than a year away from the national team.
Adjei made his Ghana debut against Niger in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers on November 18, 2024. However, his first appearance for the senior national team was cut short after just 39 minutes due to an ankle injury.
The injury subsequently required surgery in December 2024 and kept the defender out of action for an extended period.
After successfully recovering and returning to full fitness, Adjei worked his way back into contention and earned a recall to the Black Stars following a series of impressive performances for Lorient in Ligue 1.
Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz included the defender in his 24-man squad for the September-October international window.
However, his latest injury means Adjei will miss Ghana’s opening 2027 AFCON qualifying fixture against Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké on Thursday, September 24.
The Black Stars will then return home to face The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium on Tuesday, September 29, before travelling to Morocco for an international friendly against the Atlas Lions on Sunday, October 4.
Adjei’s absence will be a setback for Queiroz as Ghana begin their campaign to secure qualification for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, particularly after the defender’s return had marked the end of a lengthy spell away from international football.
