At the Essipong Sports Stadium on Thursday, Ghana defeated Somalia 2-0 to record their first victory in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.
Felix Afena-Gyan, a substitute, doubled the Black Stars’ lead in the 62nd minute after defender Jonas Adjetey had opened the score in first-half stoppage time.
While Somalia is still without a point after three games, Ghana’s victory lifted them off the bottom of Group C and relieved some of the pressure on interim coach Kim Lars Björkegren.
Despite dominating the first half, Ghana found it difficult to penetrate Somalia’s defensive setup. Goalie Ibrahim Ahmed saved captain Jordan Ayew’s missed penalty in the fourteenth minute.
Adjetey converted a delivery from Mohammed Salisu in the 45th minute to give Ghana a 1-0 lead at halftime, marking the hosts’ eventual breakthrough.
In the 62nd minute, Afena-Gyan increased the lead, providing the Black Stars with a comfortable buffer and making it more difficult for Somalia to reenter the game.
The rematch between the two teams will take place at the same location on Monday, November 16, and is formally Somalia’s home game.
Because Somalia lacks a stadium approved by the Confederation of African Football for international matches, the game is being held in Ghana.
Ghana’s qualifying campaign started with losses to The Gambia and Côte d’Ivoire, which led to former coach Carlos Queiroz leaving.
As Björkegren took over, it was anticipated that the team would be strengthened by the return of important players like Jordan Ayew, Thomas Partey, and Mohammed Kudus.
Ghana has a chance to gain momentum ahead of Monday’s rematch thanks to Thursday’s outcome, while Somalia will look for a reaction following yet another loss in the qualifying campaign.
Congratulations to Ghana on securing their first victory in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers. The win is a strong boost for the team and its supporters as the Black Stars look ahead to the challenges still to come.
