Ghana just pulled off a crucial 2-0 home win against Somalia, finally kicking off their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifying campaign. And man, did they need it. This squad was in serious trouble, losing their first two Group C matches against Ivory Coast and The Gambia. That rough start even led to coach Carlos Queiroz leaving the team by mutual consent.
Black Stars Were On The Brink, Then Almost Blew It
Things were looking pretty dire for the Black Stars before this match. With Ghana in danger of missing a second successive edition of the Afcon finals, Kim Bjorkegren, the Ghana women’s coach, was placed in interim charge for this double-header against the Ocean Stars. The pressure was immense. Then, just 14 minutes into the game in Sekondi-Takoradi, Alidu Seidu got pulled down in the box, earning Ghana a golden chance to grab an early lead from the spot. But Jordan Ayew, who joined Championship side Sheffield United in September, stepped up, and Somalia goalkeeper Ibrahim Hussein made the save. You just knew that could come back to haunt them.
The Goals That Saved The Day
But credit where credit’s due, the Black Stars didn’t fold after the penalty miss. They kept pushing, and it paid off big time right before the break. In first-half stoppage time, Mohammed Kudus whipped in a deep corner, Mohammed Salisu headed it back across goal, and Jonas Adjetey was right there from six yards out to nod it in. HUGE goal to take the lead into halftime! Then, just after the hour mark, Felix Afena-Gyan doubled their advantage when his shot from inside the box squirmed right under Hussein and over the line. Two-nil, baby!
This 2-0 result puts the four-time continental champions three points behind Ivory Coast and The Gambia, who are set to play each other in Bouake later Thursday. In other Afcon qualifiers, Newcastle United striker Yoane Wissa opened the scoring as DR Congo continued their perfect start with a 3-1 win over Sierra Leone in Kinshasa, putting them on nine points at the top of Group E. For Ghana, this is a massive step. They finally have points on the board, showing they still have a fight in them. The Afcon dream is still alive, but they’ve got to keep this energy up!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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