Ghana’s senior national football team, the Black Stars, has once again faced a bitter disappointment as they were held to a humiliating draw by Mozambique, ultimately resulting in their exit from the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2023) tournament.
Despite a promising start and a 2-0 lead against Mozambique till the dying embers of the game, the Black Stars were unable to secure a spot in the knockout stage after the Mambas scored two goals in injury time.
The match kicked off with Ghana displaying impressive skill and determination, earning a penalty in the 15th minute that Jordan Ayew successfully converted to give the Black Stars the lead.
The first half witnessed the team pushing for more goals, aiming to solidify their advantage.
In the 70th minute, Ghana was awarded another penalty, seemingly placing the Black Stars in a commanding position for qualification to the next stage. However, Mozambique launched a fierce comeback, securing a penalty in the 90th minute, expertly converted by Geny Catamo.
Despite the late setback, the Black Stars maintained control of the qualification scenario. Nonetheless, in a dramatic turn of events, Mozambique breached Ghana’s backline in the 94th minute, with Reinildo Mandava scoring a late equalizer that shattered the hopes of the Black Stars’ progression.
The draw against Mozambique marked a turning point in a match that had initially appeared to be firmly in Ghana’s grasp. The heartbreaking exit leaves both players and fans in disbelief, as the team had harbored high hopes of making a significant impact in the AFCON tournament.
The post-match atmosphere reflects the disappointment and frustration of Ghanaians, who had rallied behind their team with anticipation.
In the other group B game, the Pharaohs of Egypt also grabbed an equalizer in the 90th to bring the score to 2-2 after they trailed for most part of the match.
This gives Egypt 3 points at second position behind Cape Verde with Ghana trailing behind in the third spot with a paltry 2 points from three matches.
