Ghana beat Somalia 2-0 at the Sekondi-Takoradi Stadium in CAF 2027 qualifying. Captain Jordan Ayew, however, missed his first penalty for the Black Stars, ending a run of nine successful kicks out of nine since 2014.
The Black Stars needed a response after two defeats in Group C. They found it against Somalia, beaten 2-0, according to Graphic Online.
Yet the 14th-minute penalty was not converted. Awarded after a foul on Alidu Seidu inside the box, it was kept out by Somali goalkeeper Ibrahim Hussein. Jordan Ayew, forward and captain, thus saw his run come to an end.
Adjetey breaks the deadlock, Afena-Gyan finishes the job
The Somali lock held until first-half stoppage time. Mohammed Kudus, the Tottenham midfielder, whipped in a corner that Jonas Adjetey met from six yards to open the scoring, according to Graphic Online and FTLSomalia. That goal before the break freed the Black Stars.
Felix Afena-Gyan doubled the lead just after the hour mark. Ghana then managed their advantage until the final whistle.
A chaotic start to the campaign
This win does not fit into any obvious momentum. Ghana had lost their first two Group C matches, against Ivory Coast and Gambia, a run that led to Carlos Queiroz’s departure by mutual agreement. Kim Lars Björkegren, the Black Queens head coach, is in interim charge this month, reports The Spectator.
Despite the victory, Ghana remain six points behind leaders Ivory Coast, who beat Gambia 2-1 in Bouaké, according to Graphic Online.
Pitch invasion and disciplinary risk
The end of the match was marked by supporters invading the pitch. One of them, dressed as Spider-Man, hugged Kudus, while another brought the player down, according to Asriran. These overflows expose the Ghanaian federation to the risk of sanctions under Article 83 of the CAF disciplinary code.
The return match, Ghana – Somalia, is scheduled for Monday 16 November at the Essipong Sports Stadium, at 15:00 GMT.