Ghana’s winless AFCON qualifying campaign ends in heartbreak

West Ham midfielder Mohammed Kudus missed a crucial stoppage-time penalty as the Black Stars suffered a 2-1 defeat against Niger in their final 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The defeat concluded a disappointing qualifying campaign for Ghana, who finished at the bottom of Group F without a single win. The Black Stars scored only three goals across six matches, highlighting their struggles. Angola and Sudan, coached by Kwesi Appiah, secured the top two spots in the group to book their tickets to AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire.

The game featured debuts for Nathaniel Adjei, Terry Yegbe, and Isaac Afful, while 17-year-old Jerry Afriyie made a memorable impact after coming off the bench. The Thoughts FC player scored a brilliant equalizer in the 67th minute, cancelling out Ousseini Badamassi’s first-half opener for Niger. However, Ghana’s hopes of salvaging a draw were dashed when Oumar Sako headed in an added-time winner, capitalizing on poor defending.

In the dying moments, Kudus won a penalty and stepped up to take it, but Niger’s goalkeeper Mahamadou Tanja produced a spectacular save to deny him and secure all three points for his team.

The loss piles pressure on head coach Otto Addo, who has managed only two wins in 10 games during his second stint with the Black Stars. The Ghana Football Association’s Executive Council is set to meet on Wednesday to review the team’s dismal performance, with Addo’s position increasingly under scrutiny.

This defeat underscores a tough period for Ghanaian football, as questions about the team’s leadership and direction grow ahead of future international engagements.