Ghana's 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign began with a 2-0 defeat away to Ivory Coast in Bouake. The result leaves Carlos Queiroz's side bottom of Group C and extends their winless run in the tournament to 44 years since their last title in 1982. The team's broader form, visible in our stats section, shows one win, two draws and two losses in their last five outings.
Match action
Malick Yalcouye, the 20-year-old Brighton forward, opened the scoring just before half-time in the 44th minute. The decisive second goal came from the penalty spot in the 58th minute after a challenge by Ghana's Fatawu Issahaku on Yalcouye, with Atalanta's Franck Kessie converting the spot-kick. Ghana protested the penalty decision but could not find a way back into the game. They managed only two shots on target and struggled to maintain possession for any meaningful period, completing just 78% of their passes compared to the host's 88%.
Pressure builds
Head coach Carlos Queiroz made a triple substitution in the 64th minute, bringing on Felix Afena-Gyan, Benjamin Tetteh and Augustine Boakye. The team was also without key attackers Mohammed Kudus, Jordan Ayew and Antoine Semenyo, all listed on our injuries page. After the match, Queiroz expressed his frustration. "Ghana players dey pass di ball for dia defense when dem for dey try to attack to get goal," he said. The defeat adds to a difficult period, with the team having lost their last two matches, including a 1-0 defeat to Colombia in July.
What comes next
Ghana must now regroup quickly for their next qualifier against Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium on 29 September, a fixture detailed on our fixtures schedule. They will then host Morocco in a friendly on 4 October. The team faces an uphill battle to qualify from a group that also includes Angola and requires a significant improvement in performance.
Read the full report at Al Jazeera
The Ghana Football Association confirmed the starting line-up for the defeat in Bouake. Head coach Carlos Queiroz selected Lawrence Ati-Zigi in goal, with a back four of Denis Oppong, Nicholas Opoku, Alexander Djiku and Gideon Mensah. The midfield trio was Baba Sibo, Abdul Yirenkyi and Ernest Bonsu, supporting an attacking line of Kamaldeen Sulemana, Ernest Nuamah and Fatawu Issahaku, with Brandon Thomas-Asante leading the line. The team, currently 3rd in their World Cup qualifying group with 4 points from 3 games, was without several key players.
Real Madrid defender Diomande played the full 90 minutes for Ivory Coast in their 2-0 win over Ghana, with the club's official website stating he was "one of the standout players" for his national team. The defeat extends Ghana's recent form to one win, two draws and two losses in their last five matches, with their next qualifier against Gambia on 29 September.
The Ghana Football Association confirmed the team's recent form now stands at one win, two draws and two losses in their last five matches. The new source added that Brighton's Malick Yalcouye, who scored the opener, was making his international debut for Ivory Coast. The 18-year-old midfielder, a summer signing from IFK Gothenburg, was afforded too much space for his 44th-minute strike. Ghana's league standing is 3rd in their World Cup qualifying group with 4 points from 3 games.
