Head coach of the Black Stars, Chris Hughton, has emphasised the need for Ghana to qualify for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations to be staged in Ivory Coast.

The Black Stars are chasing another appearance at the continental showpiece which is just five months away from now.

With nine points, Ghana is in first place in Group E. Angola is in second place with eight points, and the Central African Republic (CAR) is in third place with seven points.

Hughton's boys take on CAR in Kumasi on September 3, in their final group game and a win or a draw guarantees the Black Stars' place in Ivory Coast.

"At this moment, we are top of the group but it’s quite tight. Certainly, [we] need either a win or a draw," the gaffer said in an interview with TalkSPORT.

"[Kumasi] is a vibrant city and they will turn out in their thousands, so it’s a big game for us. Ivory Coast of course is the host of the AFCON in January and of course, we very much need to be there.”