The Black Stars of Ghana suffered another disheartening start to their AFCON campaign, mirroring their disappointing 2021 performance.
Their 2023 AFCON opener ended in a humiliating 1-2 defeat against underdogs Cape Verde on Sunday, 14 January 2024.
Cape Verde seized the lead in the 17th minute when Montiero capitalised on a rebound from goalkeeper Richard Ofori’s save, effortlessly slotting the ball into an unguarded net.
Ghana’s hopes were momentarily lifted when an Ashimero thunderbolt found the back of the net, only to be disallowed after a VAR check. Ransford Yeboah Konigsdorffer, deemed offside and obstructing the Cape Verdean goalie’s view, led to the goal’s cancellation.
Defender Alexander Djiku salvaged some pride for the Black Stars in the second half, connecting with a header from a Jordan Ayew corner to level the score.
Despite the equaliser, Ghana’s defense faltered in injury time, allowing Rodriguez to capitalise on their lapse and gently tap the ball into an unguarded net, securing a late victory for Cape Verde.
After the first round of matches in Group B, Ghana finds themselves at the bottom with zero points. Cape Verde leads the group with 3 points, followed by Egypt and Mozambique with one point each.
The Black Stars now face an uphill battle to revive their AFCON campaign in the subsequent matches.
