Struggling Ghana end three-year AFCON qualifying winless run with victory over Somalia

Ghana ended a three-year wait for victory in Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying with a 2-0 win over Somalia on Thursday, reviving their hopes of reaching the 2027 tournament.

Goals from Jonas Adjetey and Felix Afena-Gyan secured the Black Stars’ first three points in Group C after opening defeats against Côte d’Ivoire and Gambia.

The victory at the Sekondi Sports Stadium also ended Ghana’s winless run in AFCON qualifying dating back to November 2023, while caretaker coach Kim Lars Björkegren marked his first competitive match in charge with a win.

Ghana move to third place in Group C with three points, three behind leaders Côte d’Ivoire and second-placed Gambia.

Ayew misses penalty before Adjetey breaks deadlock

Ghana started brightly and had an early opportunity to take the lead when Alidu Seidu was brought down inside the penalty area in the 13th minute.

However, captain Jordan Ayew failed to convert the resulting spot-kick, allowing Somalia to remain in the contest despite the hosts’ early attacking pressure.

The missed penalty increased the pressure on the Black Stars, who entered the encounter without a point following defeats against Côte d’Ivoire and Gambia.

Somalia defended resolutely and frustrated Ghana for much of the first half, but the hosts eventually found a breakthrough in stoppage time.

Jonas Adjetey headed home in the 45+2 minute after being set up by Mohammed Salisu, giving Ghana a deserved lead heading into the interval.

Afena-Gyan seals victory as Kudus makes international return

Ghana continued to push forward after the restart and doubled their advantage in the 62nd minute.

Felix Afena-Gyan finished off an attacking move created by Mohammed Kudus to put the Black Stars in a commanding position at 2-0.

The goal effectively ended Somalia’s hopes of recovering from the deficit and allowed Ghana to manage the remainder of the encounter with greater confidence.

Kudus, making his first international appearance of 2026 after a lengthy absence, marked his return with an assist and played an important role in Ghana’s attacking performance.

The Tottenham Hotspur midfielder was among several experienced players recalled for the crucial double-header, alongside Jordan Ayew, Thomas Partey and Mohammed Salisu.

Björkegren later introduced Daniel Kofi Kyereh for Ayew in the 75th minute, marking another significant return to the national team after a lengthy absence.

Ghana maintained their two-goal advantage until the final whistle, recording an important clean sheet after conceding six goals in their opening two qualifiers.

Black Stars revive AFCON qualification hopes

The victory moves Ghana to three points from three matches, although they remain behind Côte d’Ivoire and Gambia in the Group C standings.

The two sides were scheduled to meet later on Thursday in Bouaké, with the outcome of that encounter potentially influencing Ghana’s qualification prospects.

Somalia, meanwhile, remain bottom of the group without a point after suffering three consecutive defeats.

The Black Stars will now turn their attention to the return fixture against Somalia on 16 November, where another victory would take their tally to six points and strengthen their pursuit of qualification.

With three matches remaining after Thursday’s encounter, Ghana will need to maintain their winning momentum to secure a place at the continental tournament.

The 2027 AFCON finals will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from 19 June to 17 July.