Ghana's national football team, the Black Stars, secured their first win in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, defeating Somalia 2-0 at the Essipong Sports Stadium. The match, played on Thursday afternoon, saw the Black Stars dominate possession and create several scoring opportunities. Goals from defender Jonas Adjetey and forward Felix Afena-Gyan sealed the victory, giving Ghana their first three points in the qualifying campaign.
The Black Stars had struggled in their opening two matches, suffering a 2-4 defeat against Gambia and a 0-2 loss to Côte d'Ivoire. With their qualification campaign in need of a revival, the team approached the encounter with attacking intent, putting the visitors under sustained pressure. Ghana started brightly, with Jordan Ayew delivering a dangerous ball into the penalty area, but Felix Afena-Gyan failed to make the necessary connection to direct it towards goal.
The Black Stars continued to push for an opener, with Alidu Seidu winning a penalty after being brought down inside the box. However, captain Jordan Ayew failed to convert, sending his effort straight into the hands of the Somali goalkeeper. Despite the missed opportunity, Ayew remained influential in Ghana's attacking play, producing a strong run through the midfield before unleashing a shot that narrowly missed the target.
Somalia adopted a defensive approach, sitting deep and attempting to frustrate the hosts. Their compact defensive structure made it difficult for Ghana to find spaces despite the Black Stars' dominance during the opening 30 minutes. However, Ghana eventually found the breakthrough through a well-worked set-piece routine, with Mohammed Kudus delivering a corner kick into the penalty area.
Jonas Adjetey rose above the defenders to power home a towering header, giving Ghana the lead before half-time. The Black Stars returned from the break with the same attacking determination, continuing to dominate possession and push forward in search of a second goal. Somalia remained disciplined defensively, maintaining their shape while occasionally attempting to threaten the Black Stars on the counterattack.
The visitors continued to resist Ghana's attacking pressure until the Black Stars eventually doubled their advantage. Felix Afena-Gyan made no mistake, unleashing a powerful finish to extend Ghana's lead and put the result beyond Somalia's reach. The second goal gave the home supporters further reason to celebrate as the Black Stars moved closer to securing their first victory of the qualifiers.
Ghana will have another opportunity to strengthen their position in the qualifiers when they face Somalia again on Monday at the same venue. The Black Stars will look to build on Thursday's performance and secure another victory to improve their chances of qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. With the win, Ghana secured their first three points in the qualifying campaign, moving forward in their bid to qualify for the tournament.
Key points
- The Black Stars secured their first win in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers with a 2-0 win over Somalia.
- Goals from Jonas Adjetey and Felix Afena-Gyan sealed the victory for Ghana.
- The win gives Ghana their first three points in the qualifying campaign, improving their chances of qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
