Ghana forward Ernest Nuamah is facing a fitness race after suffering a muscle strain, with his availability for Lyon’s Ligue 1 match against Brest on Sunday uncertain.
The injury has also raised doubts over whether the 23-year-old will be available for Ghana’s two Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2027 qualifiers against Somalia in November.
Nuamah was absent as Lyon faced Real Sociedad in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday. Lyon interim manager Jorge Maciel confirmed that the winger and defender Moussa Niakhate both missed the game because of muscle problems, although he remains hopeful they could return for the club’s trip to Brest.
“They’ve suffered muscle strains,” Maciel said.
“We hope to have them back for Sunday’s match in Brest. We’re waiting for an update; we don’t yet know if they’ll be fit or not. We’ll see how things are progressing when we return to Lyon,” he added.
No recovery timetable has been given for Nuamah, meaning his prospects will depend on how he responds over the coming days and whether he can resume training.
His condition will be monitored closely by Ghana interim coach Kim Lars Bjokergren before the Black Stars’ November fixtures. Ghana are due to play Somalia twice as they try to revive a qualifying campaign that has begun with two defeats.
The Black Stars lost their opening Group C matches against Ivory Coast and The Gambia. The meetings with Somalia therefore offer Ghana an important chance to put their campaign back on course.
Nuamah’s absence would be a blow to both Lyon and Ghana, particularly after the winger’s return from a serious knee injury and his positive start to the 2026/27 season.
He suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in April 2025 and was sidelined for several months. Nuamah eventually returned to competitive football in May 2026.
Since then, he has become an important attacking option for Lyon, with his pace, direct running and goalscoring ability adding to the team’s threat. He has made 13 appearances for club and country across all competitions this season, scoring six goals and supplying one assist.
Lyon will hope he recovers in time to remain part of their plans as they seek to maintain their momentum. Ghana, meanwhile, will be eager to have the forward available for the crucial double-header against Somalia.
His involvement in those matches remains uncertain until further assessment is completed by Lyon.