Ghana suffered a painful second straight defeat in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers after throwing away a two-goal lead in a 4-2 loss to The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium.
The Black Stars looked in control after Ernest Nuamah and Felix Afena-Gyan put them 2-0 ahead. But a dramatic Gambia comeback turned a promising night into another major blow for Carlos Queiroz’s side.
Ghana started slowly and struggled to create clear openings in the first 20 minutes. The Gambia had the only shot on target before Nuamah finally sparked the hosts into life.
Nuamah then found Afena-Gyan inside the box, with his effort leading to a corner. The set-piece brought Ghana a penalty after Jerome Opoku was judged to have been fouled.
Nuamah made no mistake from the spot in the 27th minute. His low finish into the bottom-right corner gave Ghana the breakthrough.
Five minutes later, Afena-Gyan doubled the lead with a well-taken free-kick. At 2-0, the Black Stars appeared to have built the platform for a much-needed response after their opening 2-0 defeat to Ivory Coast.
Instead, the game changed quickly. Two minutes after Ghana’s second goal, Gideon Mensah conceded a penalty and Mohammed Badamosi pulled one back for The Gambia.
The visitors sensed an opening and began to put Ghana under pressure. Four minutes before the break, Omar Colley punished another defensive mistake to make it 2-2.
That goal changed the mood inside the stadium. Ghana had gone from controlling the contest to facing a fight to protect a result that had looked almost certain at 2-0.
The collapse continued after the break. Ebrima Colley reacted quickest to a loose ball in the 68th minute, with Ghana again unable to clear the danger.
Colley struck again in stoppage time to complete a stunning 4-2 comeback. The Gambia left Accra with six points, while Ghana remained without a point from their opening two Group C matches.
For the Black Stars, the problem now goes beyond one bad result. Defensive errors and a failure to manage the game after taking a commanding lead have left their qualification campaign in serious danger.
Ghana must now regroup before their next qualifying fixtures. Their meeting with Somalia in November offers another chance to breathe life into a campaign that has already taken a sharp turn.
