The Black Stars of Ghana concluded their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign without a single victory, following a 2-1 loss to Niger at the Accra Sports Stadium on Monday afternoon.
Ghana’s hopes of securing a spot at next year’s tournament in Morocco had already been dashed after a 1-1 draw with Angola last weekend at the Estádio 11 de Novembro. The result left the four-time African champions needing a win in their final match to salvage pride after a disappointing campaign.
Head coach Otto Addo made significant changes to his lineup for the game against Niger, aiming to end a five-match winless streak. However, the team struggled to find form once again. Niger took the lead in the 22nd minute through Ousseni Badamassi, who struck decisively to put his side ahead by halftime.
The Black Stars looked disjointed in the second half until the introduction of debutant Jerry Afriyie from Thought FC. Afriyie made an immediate impact, scoring in the 67th minute with a clinical finish from Ernest Nuamah’s cross to level the game.
Despite the equalizer, Niger reclaimed the lead in stoppage time when Oumar Sako found the back of the net in the 92nd minute. Ghana had a chance to salvage a point when awarded a penalty in the 96th minute, but Mohammed Kudus missed the spot-kick, sealing Ghana’s fate.
The loss leaves Ghana at the bottom of Group F with just three points from six games, marking their first failure to qualify for the AFCON in 21 years. Angola and Sudan advanced from the group to the tournament.
Attention now shifts to the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, where Ghana will face Chad and Madagascar in March 2025. Meanwhile, the Ghana Football Association’s Executive Council is set to meet on Wednesday to discuss the team’s performance and future plans following this historic disappointment.