Ghana successfully revived their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign with a 2-0 victory at home against Somalia. The Black Stars had previously dropped their opening two Group C matches against Ivory Coast and The Gambia, a poor start that resulted in the departure of coach Carlos Queiroz by mutual consent.
Match Action and Standings
Ghana women’s coach Kim Bjorkegren took charge on an interim basis for this month’s double-header against the Ocean Stars, with the team facing the threat of missing a second consecutive Afcon finals. The hosts earned an early opportunity to score in Sekondi-Takoradi when Alidu Seidu was fouled inside the area, but Jordan Ayew missed his 14th-minute penalty after Somalia goalkeeper Ibrahim Hussein made the save.
The breakthrough finally arrived during first-half stoppage time when Mohammed Kudus delivered a deep corner that Mohammed Salisu headed back across the goal, allowing Jonas Adjetey to nod in from six yards out. Felix Afena-Gyan then extended the lead shortly after the hour mark with a shot from inside the box that slipped under Hussein and crossed the line. Despite the win, the four-time continental champions remain six points behind Group C leaders Ivory Coast, who maintained their perfect record by defeating The Gambia 2-1 in Bouake through goals from Malick Yalcouye and Elye Wahi before Musa Barrow scored for the visitors.
Results Across Other Groups
In Group J, Nicolas Jackson opened the scoring as Senegal secured a 4-1 home victory against Sudan in Dakar, with his Aston Villa team-mate Ibrahim Mbaye also finding the net for Patrick Vieira’s squad. The Teranga Lions sit atop the group with seven points, holding a three-point lead over Mozambique. Cameroon preserved their unbeaten record and reached seven points in Group G by defeating Namibia 2-0 in Douala. Newcastle United striker Yoane Wissa scored the opening goal to help DR Congo maintain their flawless record with a 3-1 win over Sierra Leone in Kinshasa, keeping the Leopards at the summit of Group E with nine points. Nigeria received a qualification boost when Group L leaders Guinea-Bissau were held to a 1-1 draw by Madagascar in neutral Morocco, leaving the Super Eagles four points behind ahead of their match against Tanzania. Meanwhile, Benin strengthened their qualification hopes with a 4-1 victory over the Central African Republic to lead Group F by three points, and Guinea drew level with Group D leaders South Africa by defeating Eritrea 2-1 in Conakry.
The third round of qualifying fixtures continues with 12 matches on Friday, featuring teams such as Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, and South Africa.
