By Angel No Lie | KPD Online | Football | AFCON 2027 Qualifiers | 25 September 2026

Ghana’s Black Stars opened their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign with a 2–0 defeat to Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké on Thursday, 24 September. Goals from Malick Yalcouyé and Franck Kessié gave the hosts all three points in the Group C encounter.

The result leaves Ghana without a point from its opening fixture and places additional importance on the team’s next qualifier against The Gambia in Accra on 29 September.

Black Stars Begin AFCON Campaign with Defeat

Yalcouyé and Kessié settle the contest

Côte d’Ivoire controlled significant periods of the match, while Ghana adopted a cautious approach and struggled to create sustained attacking pressure.

Malick Yalcouyé opened the scoring shortly before half-time with a powerful effort from outside the penalty area. The goal came after Ghana failed to close down the Ivorian midfielder quickly enough.

The hosts doubled their advantage in the second half when a penalty was awarded following a challenge involving Ghana winger Abdul Fatawu Issahaku and Yalcouyé. Captain Franck Kessié converted the spot kick to make it 2–0. Ghana disputed the decision, according to reports.

Ghana made several substitutions in an attempt to change the match, but the Black Stars could not produce a comeback. The Ghana Football Association reported that the team continued to push forward, with late opportunities failing to change the result.

Ghana Must Respond Against The Gambia

Black Stars player ratings

Player ratings are editorial assessments rather than official match statistics. Different publications gave players varying scores, so the figures below are based primarily on the published assessments from KPDONLINE.NET and other Ghanaian football outlets.

Player	Assessment
Lawrence Ati-Zigi	Faced a difficult evening and was unable to prevent either goal.
Kojo Oppong Peprah	Had problems progressing the ball and dealing with Côte d’Ivoire’s wide threat.
Alexander Djiku	Provided defensive leadership and was described as one of Ghana’s more stable defenders.
Jerome Opoku	Competed well in some defensive duels but faced pressure from the Ivorian attack.
Gideon Mensah	Experienced difficulties in the first half but improved after the interval.
Kwasi Sibo	Received one of the lowest ratings from some outlets after struggling to influence midfield and close down the opening goal.
Caleb Yirenkyi	Was unable to consistently disrupt Côte d’Ivoire’s midfield control.
Abdul Fatawu Issahaku	Was isolated for long periods and conceded the penalty that led to the second goal.
Christopher Bonsu Baah	Showed energy early on but had limited attacking impact as the match progressed.
Ernest Nuamah	Ghana’s more threatening attacking player, including an effort that struck the post.
Brandon Thomas-Asante	Struggled to influence the match while operating between midfield and attack.
Augustine Boakye	Introduced from the bench and showed forward intent, but had limited time and possession to change the result.

Yalcouyé Breaks Ghana’s Resistance Before Half-Time

Sibo’s performance attracts criticism

Kwasi Sibo was singled out by some match-rating reports for his performance in central midfield. KPDONLINE.NET gave him a rating of 2/10, while other outlets assessed him more favourably, giving him around 4/10 or 5/10.

The main criticism concerned his involvement in the build-up to Yalcouyé’s opening goal, Ghana’s difficulty retaining possession and the midfield’s inability to consistently protect the defence.

These assessments should be read in the context of a wider team performance: Côte d’Ivoire held the initiative for long stretches, and Ghana struggled to connect its midfield with the forward line.

Boakye provides energy after coming on

Augustine Boakye was introduced during the second half as Ghana searched for a way back into the game.

According to the published ratings from PapaLinc, Boakye showed attacking intent during his 26 minutes on the pitch and created promising situations. However, the limited time available and Ghana’s lack of sustained possession restricted his influence.

His introduction also reflected the coaching staff’s attempt to add creativity after Côte d’Ivoire had established a two-goal advantage.

Ghana’s attacking difficulties

The Black Stars struggled to produce clear opportunities, despite showing more attacking intent after half-time.

Ernest Nuamah came close to scoring in the first half when his effort hit the post. Later, Ghana’s substitutes attempted to add urgency, but the Ivorian defence remained sufficiently organised to protect its lead.

The defeat raises questions about Ghana’s ability to maintain possession, create chances against organised opposition and respond after conceding the first goal. These are performance areas the team will need to address before its next qualifying match.

What comes next for Ghana?

Ghana is scheduled to face The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium on 29 September 2026. The match provides the Black Stars with an opportunity to collect their first points in Group C, although the team will need a stronger attacking performance after the defeat in Bouaké.

The Gambia fixture is particularly significant because Ghana began the qualification campaign without a point, while Côte d’Ivoire secured an early advantage with its home victory.

Independent assessment

Ghana’s defeat was shaped by Côte d’Ivoire’s greater control of the match, two decisive moments in front of goal and the Black Stars’ limited attacking output. Sibo’s individual performance attracted criticism from some rating outlets, but the result cannot be attributed to one player alone.

The next match against The Gambia will offer a clearer indication of how Carlos Queiroz’s team responds to the setback and whether the coaching staff can improve the midfield balance and attacking coordination.