Black Stars bounce back: Ghana beat Somalia 2-0 to revive AFCON hopes
Ghana reignited their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying hopes with a 2-0 win over Somalia at the Essipong Sports Stadium in Sekondi-Takoradi on Thursday afternoon.
The Black Stars claimed all three points in their opening Group C fixture of the November international window, bringing an end to a five-game winless streak and handing interim head coach Kim Lars Bjorkegren his first competitive victory.
Ghana had an early opportunity to take the lead in the 14th minute after Alidu Seidu was brought down inside the penalty area, prompting the referee to award a spot-kick. However, captain Jordan Ayew failed to convert, missing the chance to put the hosts ahead.
The Black Stars continued to dominate possession and create attacking opportunities as they searched for an opening against a well-organised Somali side.
Their efforts eventually paid off just before half-time when central defender Jonas Adjetey found the net to give Ghana a deserved advantage going into the break.
Ghana maintained their attacking pressure after the restart and extended their lead in the 62nd minute through Felix Afena-Gyan.
The forward calmly finished off a move initiated by Mohammed Kudus, who provided the assist to put the Black Stars in a commanding position and make an impact on his return to the national team.
Somalia struggled to mount a comeback as Ghana comfortably managed their two-goal advantage until the final whistle.
The victory marks an important response from Ghana following consecutive defeats to Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia, results that had placed their AFCON qualification campaign under considerable pressure.
Bjorkegren will now focus on Monday’s return fixture against Somalia at the same venue, where another victory could further improve Ghana’s standing in Group C.
The Black Stars are seeking qualification for the 2027 AFCON tournament, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
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