Black Stars Suffer Setback as Inaki Williams Picks Up Injury After Goal

• The Black Stars have suffered a major setback ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers
• One of Otto Addo’s key forwards, who had just ended his goal-scoring drought, picked up an injury at club level
• The four-time African champions will now hope to overcome this blow as they push to secure qualification for next year’s global tournament

Ghana forward Inaki Williams suffered an untimely injury moments after breaking his goal drought for Athletic Bilbao in La Liga.

The setback comes as a major concern for the Black Stars ahead of their crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Inaki Williams ends goal drought but suffers injury setback

The 31-year-old had endured a frustrating start to the season, going nine games without a goal in all competitions.

That run finally ended on Saturday, October 4, when he confidently dispatched a penalty in the ninth minute against Real Mallorca to hand Bilbao an early lead at the Estadio San Mames.

Watch Inaki Williams’ goal:

The relief was visible, not only for Williams but also for his teammates, who had been struggling through a seven-game winless streak with six defeats, as cited by Flashscore.

Buoyed by the opener, Ernesto Valverde’s side pushed forward, creating chances but failing to add a second before halftime. Then, just eight minutes after the restart, disaster struck.

Williams pulled up injured in the 53rd minute and was immediately replaced by his younger brother Nico, who himself had only recently returned from a groin problem.

Bilbao’s night nearly got worse when Samu Costa equalised in the 77th minute, but substitute Alejandro Rego struck late to secure a 2-1 victory — the Basque club’s first win since August 31.

The result pushed them to 13 points from eight games, keeping them within reach of the league’s frontrunners, per BBC Sport.

Yet celebrations were muted. Williams left the pitch in discomfort, and the extent of his injury is still unclear.

Black Stars sweating over Inaki Williams

Inaki’s injury, though its severity remains unclear at the time of publishing, comes as a major setback not only for Bilbao but also for Ghana, with the Black Stars gearing up for World Cup qualifiers against the Central African Republic on October 8 and Comoros on October 12.

Coach Otto Addo, who recently named Williams in his 24-man squad, now faces an anxious wait.

Since committing to Ghana in 2022, the forward has become an integral part of the attack, bringing pace, versatility and experience despite his lack of goals.

Losing him at this stage would force Addo to turn to standby options, with Coventry striker Brandon Thomas-Asante — boasting five goals and three assists in nine Championship matches — emerging as the most likely replacement.

Here’s a breakdown of Thomas-Asante’s performance in numbers:

For now, both Bilbao and Ghana must wait for medical updates, hoping the injury proves minor.

But with the international break looming, Williams’ fitness could define not only his club’s momentum but also Ghana’s World Cup ambitions.

Meanwhile, Inaki was not the only Black Stars forward to make headlines before the international break.

Antoine Semenyo set the tone with a brace and an assist for Bournemouth, followed by Mohammed Kudus, who grabbed a goal and an assist as Tottenham edged Leeds United in the Premier League.

To crown it all, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku unleashed a stunning strike in Leicester City’s 3-1 victory over Swansea.

Inaki makes UCL history for Athletic Bilbao

YEN.com.gh earlier reported that Inaki Williams carved his name into Athletic Bilbao’s history after finally making his Champions League debut.

The 31-year-old became the first non-Spanish player to represent the club in Europe’s premier competition when he featured against Borussia Dortmund on October 1.

Source: YEN.com.gh