Niger strike late to break Ghana hearts

Niger secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Ghana in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification Group F match at the Accra Sports Stadium on Monday night.

However, the win was not enough to earn the Menas a spot in the Afcon finals as they finished third in Group F after Sudan held Angola to a 0-0 draw to qualify for the tournament that will be hosted by Morocco.

⏰ Full-Time in Accra.

🇬🇭 Ghana 1️⃣-2️⃣ Niger 🇳🇪

⚽️ Jerry Afriyie 67’ | Ousseni Badamassi 22’, Oumar Sako 90+2’ #BlackStars pic.twitter.com/tUCOhlmN25

— 🇬🇭 Black Stars (@GhanaBlackstars) November 18, 2024

The Black Stars, on the other hand, finished at the bottom of the group standings having failed to register a single victory and they have also failed to reach the Afcon finals for the first time since 2004.

The Menas got off to a promising start and they managed to break the deadlock in the 22nd minute when Rahim Alhassane's corner-kick was headed home by Ousseini Badamassi to hand Niger a 1-0 lead.

The Black Stars pushed for the equalising goal and Mohammed Kudus had a chance to score from inside the Niger box in the 36th minute, but the West Ham United star's effort was blocked and the score was 1-0 to Niger at halftime.

Ghana continued the search for the goal that would level matters and they got it through coach Otto Addo's inspired substitute Jerry Afriyie who fired home Ernest Nuamah's low cross to make it 1-1 in the 67th minute.

Both teams then launched attacks in the latter stages of the match as they searched for a late winning goal and it was the visitors who netted in stoppage time when Oumar Sako beat goalkeeper Abdul Manaf Nurudeen to make it 2-1 to Niger.

ICYMI: The moment Admin caught Ghanaians jubilating after Niger scored its last minute goal against Ghana #AFCONQ2025#BlackStars#AFCON pic.twitter.com/LZLO0CxOHz

— GTV Ghana (@GTV_Ghana) November 18, 2024

Ghana were then awarded a late penalty after Kudus was fouled in the box, but the left-footed attacker was denied by goalkeeper Mahamadou Tandja and Niger held on to secure a famous 2-1 win.

Ghana (0) 1 (Afriyie 67')

Niger (1) 2 (Badamassi 22', Sako 92')

Ghana: Nurudeen, Simpson, Schindler, Yegbe (Mamudu 79'), Kudus, Sulemana, Nuamah, Königsdörffer (Afriyie 60'), Abu, I. Afful (Annan 46'), Adjei (Bukari 40').

Niger: Tandja, Sako, Nasser (Yakubu 45'), Kairou (Loukmane 90'+2), Sossah, Badamassi, Katkore, Youssif, Rahim, Hainikoye (Goumey 73'), Ali.