Ghana beat Somalia to end 37-month winless Afcon run

Ghana's four-time champions ended a 37-month winless streak in Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers with a 2-0 victory over Somalia on Thursday. The match took place in Essipong, offering the Black Stars a chance to secure another win and improve their chances of finishing in the top two for qualification. The match's first goal came in the second minute of added time, when Adjei Adjetey from VfL Wolfsburg scored after a corner.

Felix Afena-Gyan doubled the lead on 62 minutes. Earlier, Ivory Coast defeated Gambia 2-1, claiming the top spot in Group C with nine points following three rounds. Gambia has six points, while Ghana is third with three. Somalia, who faced Ghana again on Monday at home, are ranked 200th globally, 130 places below Ghana. The Black Stars' performance, however, was criticized for its defensive weaknesses, as Somalia's aerial limitations were exposed.

Meanwhile, Equatorial Guinea drew 0-0 with Zimbabwe in Group E, as goalkeeper Jesus Owono was absent due to a recent collision that led to the death of a forward. Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea both have four points, lagging five behind the Democratic Republic of Congo, who maintained a perfect record by defeating Sierra Leone 3-1 in Kinshasa.

In Group J, Senegal, with help from Premier League stars Yoane Wissa and Nicolas Jackson, thrashed Sudan 4-1, securing their place in the final stages of the tournament.