Ghana’s Black Stars opened their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign with a 2-0 defeat to Ivory Coast in Bouaké on Thursday, September 24, 2026. The result leaves Ghana without a point from their opening Group C fixture.
Ivory Coast beat Ghana 2-0.
The hosts took control of the match and broke the deadlock shortly before half-time when Malick Yalcouyé found the net. Ghana went into the interval trailing 1-0 and needed a strong response after the break.
Ivory Coast then doubled their advantage from the penalty spot through captain Franck Kessié. Ghana pushed forward, looking for a way back into the game but could not find the breakthrough needed to reduce the deficit.
Ghana struggles to create clear chances.
The Black Stars had possession and attacking moments but struggled to turn them into clear scoring opportunities. The defeat was made more difficult by the absence of several key players, including Jordan Ayew, Antoine Semenyo, Mohammed Kudus and Thomas Partey.
Ghana’s best opportunities came in the second half, but Ivory Coast maintained their defensive shape to protect the two-goal advantage until the final whistle.
What the result means for Ghana
The 2-0 loss gives Ghana a difficult start in Group C. The Black Stars will now turn their attention to their next qualifier against The Gambia in Accra on September 29, when they will look to respond with a positive result.
Match result
AFCON 2027 Qualifier – Group C
Ivory Coast 2-0 Ghana
Malick Yalcouyé 44′
Franck Kessié 58′ (penalty)
Venue: Stade de la Paix, Bouaké
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Sources
Match information was checked against contemporary reports from MyJoyOnline and MyNewsGh.
