Ghana finished third in Group E of the Fifa World Cup qualifiers after a 1-1 draw final group game against eventual group winners Egypt on Sunday at the Cape Coast stadium.
The Black Stars were aiming for a fourth consecutive Fifa World Cup appearance but the dream fizzled out before the final round of matches as Egypt grabbed the sole ticket for the group to render the game a mere formality.
Ghana finished third in the group,two points behind second placed Uganda and six points behind Egypt who make a return to the global showpiece after 28 years.
Ghana started the game brightly and had a penalty call waved off by the referee after striker Raphael Dwamena was played through clean on goal by Waasland Beveeren attacker Nana Opoku Ampomah who was making his Ghana debut. The Belgium based player had to be subbed off after sustaining a horrifc injury in the 36th minute.
The Pharaohs opened the scoring 15 minutes into the second half when Shikabala unleashed a fierce strike past goalkeeper Richard Ofori.
The Egyptian lead only lasted three minutes as Edwin Gyasi’s shot on the edge of the area beat goalkeeper Ekramy after taking a wicked deflection off Raphael Dwamena.
The result means the Black Stars failed to record a home win in the 2018 Fifa World Cup Qualifiers.
Ghana’s XI vs Egypt: Richard Ofori – Harrison Afful(c), Lumor Agbenyenu, Nuhu Kassim Adams, Daniel Amartey – Mubarak Wakaso, Edwin Gyasi, Ebenezer Ofori, Godfred Donsah (Majeed Waris), Nana Ampomah (Patrick Twumasi) – Raphael Dwamena (Boakye-Yiadom).
