Ghana’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations campaign plunged into crisis at the Accra Sports Stadium on Tuesday after the Black Stars surrendered a 2-0 lead to suffer a humiliating 4-2 defeat to The Gambia, leaving Carlos Queiroz’s side pointless and bottom of Group C after two matches.
What began as the response Ghana desperately needed after last Thursday’s 2-0 loss away to Côte d’Ivoire unravelled into one of the national team’s most damaging home defeats in the last three decades. The Black Stars dominated possession, struck twice in the first half and appeared in control, only for defensive frailty and ruthless Gambian counter-attacking to turn the match on its head.
The Scorpions scored four times from five shots on target, two in each half, and completed Ghana’s misery in stoppage time as Adama Bojang headed into an empty net after another devastating break.
The defeat extended Ghana’s winless run to four matches since a 1-0 victory over Panama at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. More significantly, the Black Stars have not won an AFCON qualifier since beating Central African Republic 2-1 on September 7, 2023.
After missing the 2025 tournament following a winless six-match qualifying campaign, Ghana have opened the road to the 2027 finals in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania with successive defeats. With four qualifiers remaining, the margin for error has already narrowed sharply.
Queiroz made three changes from the side beaten in Bouaké, bringing in Benjamin Asare, Felix Afena-Gyan and Jonas Adjetey for Lawrence Ati-Zigi, Christopher Bonsu Baah and the injured Alexander Djiku.
Ghana controlled the early exchanges but struggled to penetrate. The Gambia created the first clear opening in the 11th minute, when Muhammed Badamosi tested Asare, before Ernest Nuamah began to provide Ghana’s main attacking spark.
Nuamah’s 24th-minute pass released Afena-Gyan, whose effort was blocked by Baboucarr Gaye. From the resulting corner, Jerome Opoku’s header struck a Gambian defender’s hand and the referee awarded Ghana a penalty.
Ghana soon doubled the advantage. After a Gambian corner broke down, the Black Stars countered quickly and Afena-Gyan was fouled on the edge of the area. The striker stepped up and drove the free-kick beyond the wall and past Gaye.
However, Ghana’s apparent control vanished almost immediately. Two minutes later, captain Gideon Mensah conceded a penalty, allowing Badamosi to reduce the deficit. Then, in the 39th minute, visiting captain Omar Colley controlled a pass inside the area, turned sharply and beat Asare to make it 2-2.
Ghana nearly restored the lead before half-time when Adjetey’s cross struck the post in stoppage time, but the warning signs were already obvious: possession had not translated into defensive control.
Queiroz responded at the interval by introducing Benjamin Tetteh and Ibrahim Sulemana for Kwasi Sibo and Brandon Thomas-Asante. Ghana again started positively, with Afena-Gyan forcing another blocked effort after a quick Nuamah free-kick.
As frustration mounted, Tetteh was booked in the 63rd minute for a heavy challenge. Six minutes later, Ghana’s defence cracked again.
A mix-up at the back presented substitute Ebrima Colley with space outside the penalty box, and he finished calmly past Asare to give The Gambia the lead for the first time.
The experienced Portuguese tactician sent on France-based midfielder Augustine Boakye for Kojo Oppong Peprah in the 74th minute as Ghana chased an equaliser.
The Black Stars threw bodies forward. Tetteh’s 80th-minute cross found Nuamah unmarked, but his low shot drifted wide. Two quick corners followed, with Abdul Fatawu Issahaku forcing Gaye into a save from the second.
Yet, Ghana’s desperation only created more space behind. In the 91st minute, Abdoulie Sanyang escaped down the left and delivered a precise cross for substitute Bojang to head into an unguarded net, sealing a famous 4-2 victory for The Gambia.
For Ghana, the implications extend beyond a single defeat. The Ghana Football Association and Queiroz now face urgent questions over a rebuilding project that has started disastrously, while the Black Stars confront the growing possibility of missing consecutive AFCON tournaments.
