Former Black Stars midfielder Emmanuel Agyemang Badu has warned the Black Galaxies of the importance of securing qualification for the next African Nations Championship (CHAN) tournament, stressing that failing to qualify would be disastrous for Ghanaian football.

The Black Galaxies were held to a goalless draw by Nigeria in the first leg of the CHAN 2024 qualifiers, and now face a tough challenge in the return leg to secure a spot in the tournament, which will be hosted in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.

Speaking to Joy Sports, Agyemang Badu, who was part of the Black Galaxies squad that reached the final of the inaugural CHAN tournament in 2009, emphasized the critical nature of the upcoming match.

He cautioned the team against adopting a defensive mindset, stating that with only one leg remaining, there was no room for a negative approach.

"We should be very careful not to go and defend," he said. "This is only one game and when you lose, you are not going anywhere. We can't do that [lose] because mind you, we didn’t qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

If the CHAN too, we don't qualify, then there will be a little bit of disaster. So, we will support them, pray for them, and they should go all out and win the game for us in the return leg."

Agyemang Badu represented the Black Stars from 2008 to 2017, making 78 appearances and scoring 11 goals.

His call for the Black Galaxies to play with courage and aggression comes at a time when Ghana has already missed out on qualifying for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, intensifying the pressure on the home-based national team.