In a thrilling showdown on Thursday evening, Mohammed Kudus showcased his brilliance with a sensational free-kick goal, propelling Ghana to a hard-fought 2-1 triumph against the Central African Republic.
The battle unfolded at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, serving as the climactic Group E finale in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
Despite enjoying the home advantage, the Black Stars struggled to assert their dominance in the early stages of the match.
The visiting Central African Republic squad commenced with gusto, posing a significant threat to Ghana's defense.
Amid relentless pressure from the visitors, striker Louis Mafouta managed to break the deadlock, giving Central African Republic a 25th-minute lead.
Facing adversity, the Black Stars elevated their performance, determined to level the score before halftime.
Despite the challenges, the Ghanaian side displayed resilience, and just moments before the interval, Mohammed Kudus struck a spectacular free-kick goal, finding the back of the net and rekindling hope.
Mohammed Kudus, recently signed by West Ham United, executed the free kick with masterful precision.
In the second half, substitute Ernest Nuamah emerged as the hero, netting the decisive goal for Ghana in the 82nd minute, sealing a thrilling 2-1 victory for the Black Stars.
After the game, head coach of the Central African Republic, Raoul Savoy indicated that he is proud of his players although they lost to the Black Stars of Ghana.
Speaking in his post-match interview, the Coach for the losing team, Raoul Savoy said he is happy with the performance of his players, insisting that his side played better than Ghana.
"I'm very proud of my players. We played better than Ghana and didn't deserve to lose. I think we should have finished this game with a 1-1 draw, you qualify but we didn't lose. I think the second goal was offside clearly, we know the referee is your winner. We knew the referee would help you guys and he did it,” the coach added.
Ghana’s coach, Chris Hughton reflecting on his side’s victory , expressed belief that his team had the potential to secure a more comfortable victory in the final moments.
"For me it is always about the ending the ending is we won the game. I think in the end we could have won it more comfortably with more goals," he said.
"So we continue to work in international football you don't have the players for very long and the squad can change from one game to the next. So you do the best you can from the period of time you have," he added.
Following the 2-1 win, Ghana has secured a place in the 2023 AFCON tournament, set to take place in Ivory Coast.
