Ghana's national football team, the Black Stars, suffered a shocking 4-2 defeat at home to The Gambia in a 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on September 29, 2026, at the Accra Sports Stadium. The loss leaves Ghana pointless and bottom of Group C after two matches. The result was Ghana's second successive qualifier defeat, following a 0-2 loss to Côte d'Ivoire. This was also The Gambia's first win over Ghana in 33 years.
The match started positively for Ghana, with the home team dominating possession and breaking through in the 27th minute. Jerome Opoku was fouled in the box, and Ernest Nuamah converted the penalty calmly. Six minutes later, Felix Afena-Gyan scored a stunning free-kick to make it 2-0 in favor of Ghana. However, the lead was short-lived, as The Gambia began to mount pressure and capitalize on Ghana's defensive lapses.
The Gambia's Muhammed Badamosi scored a penalty in the 37th minute after Ghana's captain, Gideon Mensah, conceded a foul in the box. Before halftime, Omar Colley equalized for The Gambia, finishing from close range after a long throw was not cleared, making it 2-2 at the interval. Despite dominating possession, Ghana's defensive errors had allowed The Gambia to level the score.
The second half saw Carlos Queiroz, the Ghana coach, make changes, but Ghana struggled to regain control. Ebrima Colley put The Gambia ahead in the 68th minute after another Mensah error, which allowed him to nick the ball and finish past Ghana's goalkeeper, Benjamin Asare. Ghana pushed for an equalizer but left space behind, which The Gambia exploited.
In the first minute of stoppage time, Sainey Sanyang crossed, and Ebrima Colley scored his second goal to seal a 4-2 victory for The Gambia. Despite having 74% possession and more corners, Ghana's lack of clinical finishing and defensive errors cost them the match. The Gambia, on the other hand, were more efficient, scoring four times from five shots on target.
The defeat extends Ghana's long winless run in AFCON qualifying and puts their hopes of reaching the 2027 finals under serious strain after only two games. Ghana's coach, Carlos Queiroz, is still without a qualifier win. Captain Gideon Mensah accepted responsibility for the loss, citing bad luck and his role as captain.
The result has significant implications for the Group C standings, with The Gambia leading or joint-top with Côte d'Ivoire, having secured six points from two wins. Ghana sit bottom with zero points and a 2-6 goal difference. Ghana's next matches are against Somalia in a double-header, which will be crucial in determining their chances of advancing in the qualifiers.
Key points
- Ghana's Black Stars lost 4-2 to The Gambia in a 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, their second successive defeat.
- The Gambia's win was their first over Ghana in 33 years and has put them top of Group C with six points.
- Ghana's coach, Carlos Queiroz, remains without a qualifier win, and the team's hopes of reaching the 2027 finals are under strain.
