Ghana qualifies for 2024 AFCON following victory over the Central African Republic
Ghana has earned a berth in the 2024 AFCON following their triumph over the Central African Republic at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium on September 7, 2023.
Both teams entered the match with hopes of qualifying, as Ghana needed either a draw or a victory while the Central African Republic required a win to secure their spot in next year’s tournament in Côte d’Ivoire.
As anticipated, Ghana began the game with a dominant share of possession but failed to create clear scoring opportunities. The turning point came in the 25th minute when a lofted ball over the Black Stars’ defense prompted Lawrence Ati Zigi to leave his line but resulted in the Ghanaian goalkeeper missing the ball, allowing Louis Mafouta to score the opening goal of the match.
Despite falling behind, the Black Stars continued to control the game but struggled to generate significant goal-scoring chances. However, Mohammed Kudus changed the momentum just before halftime by converting a direct free kick following a foul on Osman Bukari in the Central African Republic’s defensive half.
The second half unfolded similarly to the first, with Ghana maintaining dominance but struggling to find the decisive touch. As the game progressed, Ghana introduced Antoine Semenyo, Ernest Nuamah, and Gideon Mensah in their quest for a winning goal, and their efforts paid off.
Semenyo and Nuamah combined, with the former capitalizing on a defensive mistake to set up the Lyon player for the winning goal in the 87th minute.
The outcome of the match meant that Ghana secured the top spot in the group with 12 points, while Angola secured second place with 9 points after a goalless draw with Madagascar in Luanda.
The top two teams in the group have earned qualification for the 2023 AFCON, which is scheduled to take place in Côte d’Ivoire in January 2024.
