The Black Stars finally ended their winless streak, securing a crucial 2-1 victory over Mali in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Playing at the Stade du 26 Mars, the four-time African champions came from behind to win, thanks to goals from Ernest Nuamah and Jordan Ayew.
90′ GOALLLLL
Jordan Ayew completes the comeback for Ghana!#3SportsGH pic.twitter.com/UKhXG64QHv
— #3Sports (@3SportsGh) June 6, 2024
This marks Ghana’s first win in eight games, providing a significant boost to their World Cup qualifying campaign.
Mali started the match on the front foot, creating several early chances and putting the Ghanaian defense under pressure. However, Ghana’s goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi made several crucial saves to keep the game level. Despite his efforts, Mali managed to take the lead just before halftime through a deflected shot that found the back of the net.
Ghana responded strongly in the second half. Ernest Nuamah equalised in the 58th minute with a well-timed header, bringing the Black Stars back into the game. The decisive moment came in stoppage time when substitute Jordan Ayew scored the winning goal, sealing a much-needed victory for Ghana.
Ghana gets its first win of 2024 after coming from behind to beat Mali in Bamako.#3Sports pic.twitter.com/XmPksWwAx2
— #3Sports (@3SportsGh) June 6, 2024
Before this win, Ghana’s last victory was in November 2023, when they beat Madagascar at the Baba Yara Stadium with a header from Inaki Williams in the first qualifier.
In the subsequent games, the Black Stars struggled. They lost to Comoros in Moroni and settled for a goalless draw against Namibia in a 2023 Africa Cup of Nations warm-up game. During the tournament, Ghana failed to secure a single win, losing to Cape Verde and drawing with Egypt and Mozambique.
Interim coach Otto Addo, who took over from his predecessor, also faced challenges, losing to Nigeria and drawing with Uganda in international friendlies.
However, Addo finally broke the jinx with this victory over Mali, injecting new hope into the team.
With this win, Ghana now sits second in Group I with six points, level with Comoros, who have yet to play their match. The Black Stars will now focus on their next game against the Central African Republic (CAR) at the Kumasi Baba Yara Stadium.
