Ghana breathed new life into their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Somalia at the Essipong Sports Stadium in Sekondi.
Goals from Jonas Adjei Adjetey and Felix Afena-Gyan secured the Black Stars’ first win of the campaign and gave interim head coach Kim Lars Björkegren a dream start in his first competitive match in charge.
Here are five key takeaways from the victory:
1. Björkegren makes the perfect start
The Swedish tactician could hardly have wished for a better debut. Under Björkegren, Ghana looked organised, composed and purposeful, ending a two-match losing streak with a clean sheet and three valuable points.
While tougher tests lie ahead, the performance offered early signs that the Black Stars are moving in the right direction under their new coach.
2. Ghana’s AFCON dream is back on track
After successive defeats to Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia, Ghana’s qualification hopes appeared to be fading. The victory over Somalia has reignited belief, with the Black Stars now well placed to build momentum.
Another win in the return fixture would significantly strengthen their chances of climbing the Group C standings and keeping qualification firmly within reach.
3. Felix Afena-Gyan looks ready to lead the attack
Afena-Gyan produced one of his most encouraging performances in a Black Stars shirt, capping an energetic display with a well-taken goal.
The striker’s movement, pressing and confidence in front of goal suggest he could become an important attacking weapon as Ghana continue their qualification campaign.
4. Mohammed Kudus remains Ghana’s game-changer
Once again, Mohammed Kudus underlined why he is Ghana’s most influential player.
The West Ham United star was instrumental in both goals, playing a key role in the build-up to Jonas Adjetey’s opener before providing the assist for Afena-Gyan’s strike.
His creativity, dribbling ability and vision transformed Ghana’s attack, with the Black Stars looking far more dangerous whenever he was on the ball.
If Ghana are to complete their comeback in Group C, keeping Kudus fit and firing will be one of the team’s biggest priorities.
5. There’s still room for improvement
Although the scoreline was convincing, Ghana were guilty of wasting several scoring opportunities and could have won by a bigger margin.
Jordan Ayew’s missed penalty and a lack of clinical finishing at times showed there is still work to be done in the final third.
Nevertheless, Björkegren will be encouraged by the clean sheet, the improved defensive organisation and the overall team performance as Ghana prepare for Monday’s reverse fixture against Somalia.
