Ghana’s Black Stars have failed to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) for the first time since 2004 following a 1-1 draw against Angola in Luanda.
Coach Otto Addo made notable changes to the lineup, handing debut starts to Nations FC defender Razak Simpson and Michael Baidoo. Abdul Manaf Nurudeen was also preferred in goal over Lawrence Ati-Zigi.
Ghana started strongly, with Jordan Ayew scoring a stunning free kick from 35 yards in the 19th minute after Mohammed Kudus was fouled. Ayew stepped up alongside Kudus and sent a powerful strike past the goalkeeper to give Ghana the lead.
Minutes later, Angola had a chance to equalize when the referee awarded a penalty for Gideon Mensah’s foul in the box. However, Nurudeen came up big, saving M’Bala Nzola’s effort to keep Ghana ahead.
Michael Baidoo nearly doubled Ghana’s lead in the 44th minute, but his effort was blocked by the Angolan defense, leaving the Black Stars with a slim 1-0 lead at halftime.
The second half saw changes, with Ebenezer Annan replacing Abdul Fatawu Issahaku and Ransford Yeboah coming on for Baidoo. Despite Ghana’s solid defensive work in the first half, Angola capitalized on a lapse in concentration to level the score. Substitute Zini connected with Milson’s cross to slot home in the 59th minute.
Ghana pressed for a winner, with Kudus narrowly missing the target in the 71st minute. Jordan Ayew later set up Ransford Yeboah for a golden opportunity, but his close-range effort was saved by the Angolan goalkeeper.
In the dying minutes, Nurudeen once again saved Ghana from conceding, denying Angola a potential match-winner.
The result leaves Ghana out of AFCON 2025, marking the first time in two decades the Black Stars will miss the tournament.
Ghana will face Niger on Monday in their final group game in Accra, a match now rendered inconsequential for their qualification hopes.
