Ghana succumbed to a disappointing defeat at the hands of Comoros in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers on Tuesday.
A brilliant first-half strike from Myziane Maolida was enough to see the Southern African side pull an upset over the Black Stars on home soil.
Ghana coach Chris Hughton made three changes to the side that started in the opening World Cup qualifying game against Madagascar last Friday.
Daniel Amartey, Alidu Seidu and Mohammed Kudus were replaced by Kassim Nuhu Adams, Denis Odoi and Andre Ayew, respectively, in the starting XI for the game against Comoros.
Kudus was left on the bench after missing the team’s last training session due to a back injury. Hughton, however, decided to stick with Richard Ofori in the post.
Gideon Mensah and Nicholas Opoku completed the back four, with Abdul Salis Samed and Baba Iddrisu once again trusted in the middle of the park.
Jordan Ayew also kept his position on the left flank, with the match-winner against Madagascar Inaki Williams operating from the right.
Captain Andre Ayew returned to the starting line-up for the first time in months and occupied the no.10 role in the absence of the injured Kudus.
Antoine Semenyo led the line as the team’s main striker, as the Black Stars aimed to make it two wins from two World Cup qualifying matches.
Comoros made the brighter start to the game by enjoying the larger share of possession but it was Ghana who carved the first real opening after six minutes.
Williams played Semenyo through on goal but the Bournemouth striker failed to make the one-on-one chance count, firing his shot into the side net.
Four minutes later, Comoros made their first dangerous incursion into Ghana’s half, with Youssouf attempting a strike from long range that flew way off target.
Ofori was called into action a couple of times in the first half, saving Selemani’s shot before tipping Bourhane’s goal-bound effort out for a corner.
Ghana would squander one more chance to score the opener when Williams found Jordan Ayew with a pin-point cross but the Crystal Palace forward couldn’t direct his header towards goal.
The Black Stars were ultimately punished for their poor defending three minutes before half-time when Maolida weaved his way past Ghana’s backline to score – against the run of play.
Hughton brought on Kudus in place of Andre Ayew at the start of the second half, and Ernest Nuamah and Majeed Ashimeru would later join the fray but Ghana continued to struggle to create clear-cut chances.
Nuamah, though, was unlucky not to have grabbed the equaliser when his was goal ruled out by the referee although he appeared to have cleanly won an aerial challenge against the Comoros goalkeeper.
Despite pushing more men forward in the final 15 minutes, Comoros held on for a famous victory – their second successive win over the Black Stars after beating Ghana in the last AFCON.
Meanwhile, the Coelacanths have now moved to the top of Group I of the Africa World Cup qualifiers with six points, with Ghana dropping to fourth place after Tuesday’s disappointing defeat.
Source: Pulse Ghana
