Published Thursday, 12 November 2026, 6:35 p.m. ET (11:35 p.m. Accra) · Source: Ghana national team’s official account, Ghana News Agency, Rio Times reporting
Ghana needed a win, and on Thursday they finally got one. The Black Stars, as the national team is known, beat Somalia 2-0 on Thursday afternoon at the Essipong Stadium in Sekondi-Takoradi for their first win in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
Defender Jonas Adjetey headed the first goal just before half-time, and forward Felix Afena-Gyan curled in the second in the 60th minute, according to the match reports. The result lifts Ghana off the bottom of Group C, one of 12 qualifying groups, and keeps alive their AFCON 2027 qualifiers campaign.
This story is part of our coverage of the AFCON 2027 qualifiers. Dates, times and how to follow it are in our guide.
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Africa’s national teams are playing to reach the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, the continent’s biggest tournament, to be held in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Ghana had lost both of their opening games, so Thursday’s win over Somalia kept their hopes alive.
A Penalty Miss Before the Breakthrough
Ghana began fast and won a penalty in the 14th minute when defender Alidu Seidu was brought down inside the box. Captain Jordan Ayew, the team’s most experienced forward, took it and failed to score.
The miss did not stop the pressure. Ghana kept most of the ball against a Somali side that defended deep, and Mohammed Kudus, the Tottenham Hotspur forward who returned to the squad after a long injury layoff, threatened early.
The breakthrough came from a corner. Defender Mohammed Salisu flicked the ball on, and Adjetey rose highest to nod it into the net before the break.
Afena-Gyan then settled the game after the hour, curling a finish past the Somalia goalkeeper. The final whistle brought Ghana’s first three points of the campaign.
File photo: the coast at Sekondi-Takoradi, the Western Region port city that hosted the match.Why This Win Mattered So Much
Ghana had arrived with zero points. They lost 2-0 to Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) in Bouaké, then 4-2 at home to Gambia after leading by two goals.
Coach Carlos Queiroz left the job after that defeat, according to the Ghana News Agency. The Ghana Football Association, the national governing body, and the sports ministry then appointed an interim staff led by Kim Lars Björkegren, the Swedish coach of Ghana’s women’s team.
Ghana are four-time African champions, yet they missed the 2025 tournament in Morocco, their first absence since 2004. A second miss in a row would sharpen the questions about the team’s direction.
What Happens Next in Group C
The Gambia and Côte d’Ivoire each began Thursday on six points, so Ghana still trail the leaders. The Ghana News Agency wrote before the match that Ghana realistically need to win all of their remaining games, which are now the Somalia return, Côte d’Ivoire at home and Gambia away.
The return against Somalia comes on Monday, 16 November, at 10:00 a.m. ET (3:00 p.m. Accra), at the same stadium. Another win would take Ghana to six points.
What Prediction Markets Say
Polymarket, a crypto-based prediction market, priced Group C at Ivory Coast about 85%, Gambia about 7%, Ghana about 1% and Somalia under 1% on the evening of 12 November (ET), with about US$12,800 traded. Those prices are bets, not polls, and they leave Ghana a long shot to top the group.
Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely. We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.
What It Means for US Readers
For fans in the United States, Monday’s return leg falls on a weekday morning at 10:00 a.m. ET, and we could not confirm a US broadcaster. The finals run from 19 June to 17 July 2027 in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, and Ghana’s place there is still open.
What Is Not Known
The full Group C table after Thursday’s other match, the attendance and any post-match comments from the interim coach were not available when we published. Match reports differ slightly on some details, such as the exact minute of the second goal, and we have used the version most reports share.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who scored in Ghana’s win over Somalia?
Jonas Adjetey scored just before half-time and Felix Afena-Gyan added a second in the 60th minute, according to most match reports.
When do Ghana and Somalia play again?
The return leg is Monday, 16 November, at the same stadium in Sekondi-Takoradi, at 10:00 a.m. ET (3:00 p.m. Accra).
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