In a stunning turn of events at the ongoing African Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire, the Black Stars of Ghana faced a heartbreaking exit from the tournament after a last-minute equalizer dashed their hopes of progressing beyond the group stages.
The match, which initially seemed to be in Ghana’s favor, took an unexpected turn when Jordan Ayew converted a penalty in the 15th minute, giving his team a promising 1-0 lead after Joseph Painstil was brought down. The momentum continued in the 70th minute as Ayew calmly netted another penalty, putting Ghana ahead 2-0.
However, the tides changed dramatically in the 89th minute when Andrea Ayew’s unfortunate handball in his own penalty area resulted in a penalty for Mozambique, which was successfully converted, bringing the score to 2-1 in favor of Ghana. The Black Stars, who needed a victory to secure a spot in the next stage, found themselves under immense pressure.
As the clock ticked into stoppage time, Mozambique intensified their efforts and managed to score a late equalizer, leaving the match at a 2-2 draw. The draw proved to be a devastating blow for Ghana, as a victory would have secured their place as the second team in the group following Egypt’s 2-2 draw with Cape Verde in the other group game.
This marks the second consecutive time Ghana has been eliminated from the African Cup of Nations at the group stage, leaving fans and players disappointed at the missed opportunity to advance in the tournament.