Ghana beats Somalia to end 37-month winless AFCON run

FILE PHOTO: Ghana defeated Somalia 2-0 in AFCON qualifiers. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Four-time champion Ghana ended a 37-month winless run in Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers by beating minnows Somalia 2-0 in Essipong on Thursday.

Defender Adjei Adjetey from German second-tier club VfL Wolfsburg scored his first goal for the Black Stars in the second minute of first half added time.

Turkey-based Felix Afena-Gyan doubled the lead on 62 minutes to seal a first victory in Group C for Ghana after losses to the Ivory Coast and the Gambia two months ago.

Later, Ivory Coast beat Gambia 2-1 in Bouake to top the table with nine points after three rounds. Gambia has six, Ghana three and Somalia none.

Somalia has ceded home advantage to Ghana when they meet again on Monday, offering the Black Stars a good chance of securing another win as they seek a top-two finish and qualification.

Assuming it completes a double over the Somalis, Ghana will then host Ivory Coast and visit Gambia in the final two matchdays next March.

While victory was a huge relief for Ghana and acting coach Kim Lars Bjorkegren, who was seconded from the women’s national team, the performance left much to be desired.

Both goals stemmed from defensive shortcomings by Somalia, who is ranked 200th in the world, 130 places below Ghana.

A Somali aerial weakness was exposed for the first goal with Adjetey given time and space to nod a headed pass into the net after a corner.

Goalkeeper Ibrahim Hussein, who saved a weakly struck early penalty from veteran Ghana captain Jordan Ayew, was to blame for the second goal.

The 20-year-old allowed a shot from Afena-Gyan that lacked power to slip under his body and trickle into the net.