Ghana’s Black Stars suffered a 2-0 defeat to Côte d’Ivoire at the Stade de la Paix in Bouaké during their opening 2027 AFCON Group C qualifier.
Missing several key players due to injury, the team struggled to maintain possession (39%) and managed only one shot on target against a dominant home side.
Ghana Player Ratings (out of 10)
Goalkeeper & Defenders
Lawrence Ati-Zigi (GK) — 5.5/10
Made a few routine saves early on to keep the Elephants at bay, but could do little about Malick Yalcouyé’s opener or Franck Kessié’s penalty.
Kojo Peprah Oppong (RB) — 5.0/10
Faced a difficult night against the combination of Nicolas Pépé and Yan Diomandé. Worked hard off the ball but was regularly pinned deep in his own half.
Alexander Djiku (CB) — 6.0/10
The most stable figure in Ghana’s backline. Made crucial interceptions and clearances under heavy pressure in the first half.
Jerome Opoku (CB) — 6/10
Showed solid aerial presence but had moments of panic when the Ivorians bypassed Ghana’s midfield. Conceded spatial pressure in the buildup to the penalty.
Gideon Mensah (LB) — 5.5/10
Tried to support attacks on the overlap, but was forced back for most of the night by Côte d’Ivoire’s relentless wing play.
Midfielders
Caleb Yirenkyi (CM) — 5.0/10
Overwhelmed by Franck Kessié and Ibrahim Sangaré in the central battle. struggled to break up play or transition the ball smoothly.
Kwasi Sibo (CM) — 5.0/10
Showed high work rate and running power, but was unable to exert control in possession as Ghana was limited to long spells of defending.
Forwards & Attackers
Abdul Fatawu Issahaku (RW) — 5.5/10
Extremely isolated on the right flank. Tracked back to help his full-back, but had virtually no service to threaten in the final third.
Brandon Thomas-Asante (CAM) — 4.5/10
Struggled to make an impact in the hole between midfield and attack. Picked up a yellow card in the 34th minute for a late challenge.
Christopher Bonsu Baah (LW) — 4.5/10
Showed energy in bursts, but lacked end product and picking up a yellow card early in the second half limited his aggressiveness.
Ernest Nuamah (ST) — 6.0/10
Ghana’s brightest attacking outlet in the absence of primary forwards. Nearly caught out Yahia Fofana with an ambitious long-range chip in the first half, but spent much of the match feeding on scraps.
Substitutes
Ibrahim Sulemana (CM) — 5.0/10
Brought on to add freshness and bite to the midfield, but the game was largely controlled by Côte d’Ivoire by the time he joined.
Augustine Boakye (AM) — 5.0/10
Came on to provide creative spark, but found it difficult to get involved with limited team possession.
Felix Afena-Gyan (FW) — 5.0/10
Introduced late to offer pace behind the Ivorian high line, but had very few touches.
Mohammed Gadafi Fuseini (FW) — N/A
Late substitute; not on the pitch long enough to earn a full rating.
Benjamin Tetteh (FW) — N/A
Brought on in the closing minutes as a target man; insufficient playing time for a score.
