Ghana lost their Premier League spark and threw away the win

In the national teams’ match between Chad and Ghana, the visitors took the lead with a goal from captain Ayew, but the home team managed to score near the end of the game. The equalizer came only after Ghana’s coach had taken nearly all of the team’s stars off the field.

Ghana went into the break with a narrow 1-0 advantage over Chad in their African World Cup qualifier, thanks to a decisive strike from captain Jordan Ayew midway through the opening half.

From the outset, Ghana dictated the tempo, looking more assured in possession, while Chad opted for a cautious approach, closing down spaces to deny their opponents clear scoring chances. Both sides registered early efforts on goal, but without troubling either goalkeeper.

The breakthrough arrived in the 18th minute. Mohammed Kudus delivered a sharp low cross into the box, and Ayew was perfectly placed to slot home from close range — his sixth goal in these qualifiers, underlining his importance to the Black Stars.

Chad responded with more ambition, winning free kicks in the 24th and 30th minutes, the first following a reckless challenge by Ghana’s Owusu, who was also shown the match’s first yellow card. Despite pushing forward, the home side lacked accuracy in the final third, and Ghana’s defense dealt comfortably with the danger.

As the first half drew to a close, the game lost some of its early rhythm. Both teams relied on short exchanges in midfield, with little penetration into the penalty areas.

After three minutes of stoppage time, the referee signaled halftime at the Stade Olympique Marechal Idriss Deby Itno, with Ghana holding the lead courtesy of Ayew’s 18th-minute strike.

The second half largely mirrored the closing stages of the first, with Ghana maintaining control of possession and probing for openings, while Chad stayed disciplined and compact in defense to deny their opponents clear opportunities.

At the hour mark, Chad head coach Raoul Savoy made his first tactical change, bringing on Franck Tchaouna in place of Abdoul Aziz to add energy and stability in midfield. Despite the adjustment, Ghana continued to dictate the flow of the match and kept the hosts pinned in their own half.

The Black Stars came closest to doubling their lead in the 67th minute. After a smooth sequence of passes, Mohammed Kudus unleashed a precise effort toward the far-left post, but the ball drifted narrowly wide, leaving Chad with a lifeline and Ghana still searching for the comfort of a second goal.

That lifeline was soon converted in the 89th minute, when Celestin Ecua struck with his left foot from the center of the box, sending the ball past the Ghanaian goalkeeper and leveling the score.

2026 FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS - AFRICA

Wednesday

Seychelles - Gabon 0-4 (0-3)

/Bouanga 4, 34, 38, M'Bemba 89/

Thursday

Chad - Ghana 1-1 (0-1)

/Ecua 89 - Ayew 18/

19.00: (1.67) Angola (3.50) Libya (5.90)

19.00: (2.10) Guinea-Bissau (3.30) Sierra Leone (3.70)

19.00: (2.20) Madagascar (3.25) Central African Republic (3.45)

19.00: (7.25) Mauritius (3.60) Cape Verde (1.57)

19.00: (12.0) Sao Tome (5.60) Equatorial Guinea (1.27)

22.00: (1.20) Algeria (6.50) Botswana (16.0)

22.00: (1.17) Cameroon (7.25) Eswatini (17.0)

22.00: (1.37) Mali (4.50) Comoros (10.0)

22.00: (1.25) Tunisia (5.70) Liberia (13.0)

Friday

15.00: (15.0) Somalia (5.90) Guinea (1.23)

15.00: (9.00) South Sudan (4.40) DR Congo (1.40)

16.00: (2.65) Kenya (3.05) Gambia (2.90)

19.00: (1.85) Benin (3.45) Zimbabwe (4.50)

19.00: (22.0) Djibouti (10.5) Burkina Faso (1.10)

19.00: (8.00) Lesotho (4.20) South Africa (1.45)

22.00: (1.20) Egypt (6.50) Ethiopia (16.0)

22.00: (1.17) Ivory Coast (7.25) Burundi (17.0)

22.00: (3.00) Mauritania (3.05) Togo (2.55)

22.00: (1.10) Morocco (11.0) Niger (18.0)

22.00: (1.30) Senegal (5.20) Sudan (11.0)

Saturday

19.00: (1.37) Nigeria (4.50) Rwanda (10.00)

***odds are subject to change***