2027 AFCON Qualifier: Ghana suffers 2-0 defeat to Cote d’Ivoire
by Ayeh Offei-Akoto · MyNewsGh.comGhana suffered a disappointing start to their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign after losing 2-0 to Cote d’Ivoire in their Group C opener at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake on Thursday.
The Black Stars went into the match without several key players and struggled to turn their possession into clear chances as the hosts gradually took control.
Cote d’Ivoire opened the scoring just before half-time through debutant Malick Yalcouye.
The midfielder found space on the edge of Ghana’s penalty area before hitting a shot that beat goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi to give the Elephants a 1-0 lead at the break.
Ghana needed a strong start to the second half, but their task became harder when Cote d’Ivoire doubled their lead shortly after the restart.
Captain Franck Yannick Kessie stepped up to take a penalty and calmly sent the ball past Ati-Zigi to make it 2-0.
Carlos Queiroz’s side pushed forward in search of a goal but struggled to create enough attacking pressure.
Ghana’s best chance came in the 76th minute when Caleb Yirenkyi had an effort from inside the box.
The Black Stars will now turn their attention to their next qualifier against The Gambia in Accra on September 29.
Source: MyNewsGh.com
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