Kudus, Nuamah Secure AFCON Ticket As Ghana Labour To Beat CAR: The 5 Things We Learned

The Black Stars of Ghana secured their 10th consecutive qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations, courtesy of goals by Mohammed Kudus and Ernest Nuamah.

In a gritty contest on Thursday, September 7, the four-time African champions had to mount a comeback from a one-goal deficit to secure a hard-fought 2-1 victory over the Central African Republic.

Here, Sports Brief examines the five significant takeaways from this Group E encounter, which was held at the Kumasi Baba Yara Sports Stadium.

1. Another drab performance under Chris Hughton

Chris Hughton's appointment as manager of the Black Stars reignited the hopes of many Ghanaians, considering his well-documented résumé.

However, in four matches as head coach of the West African nation, the four-time African champions have mustered just two wins, scoring just three goals and averaging 0.75 goals per game.

In Ghana's final game of the qualifiers, the former Newcastle United and Brighton boss supervised yet another tepid display from his charges as Ghana laboured to a 2-1 win.

2. CAR make Ghana sweat

While the Central African Republic fell short of securing qualification for next year's AFCON, the Wild Beasts showcased a commendable performance against their formidable adversaries.

Unperturbed by the passionate crowd, CAR took the lead in the match, with Louis Mafouta finding the net just five minutes before the half-hour mark.

Despite ultimately conceding twice, they managed to create tense moments for Ghana during the game, captivating the Black Stars with their methodical approach. All in all, they exit the tournament with their pride intact.

3. Kudus, Nuamah fire Ghana to AFCON

Although Ghana's overall performance in the match was less than stellar, it's evident that the nation's footballing future is in capable hands, thanks to the talents of Mohammed Kudus and Ernest Nuamah, CAFOnline reports.

Both emerging stars, products of the esteemed Right to Dream Academy, played pivotal roles in Ghana's come-from-behind victory.

Kudus initiated the turnaround with a remarkable free-kick late in the first half, while Nuamah sealed the win with a late goal, securing the Black Stars' 10th consecutive qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations.

These young talents, who recently completed summer transfers, are expected to step into the shoes of legendary figures like Sulley Muntari, Asamoah Gyan, and Stephen Appiah, carrying the torch for Ghanaian football into the future.

4. Antoine Semenyo's second-half impact

The Bournemouth forward underscored his brilliant start to the Premier League campaign with his impactful cameo display.

Semenyo, who came on for Athletic Bilbao star Inaki Williams, emerged as a significant challenge for the Central African Republic defenders, per GHANAsoccernet.

His relentless efforts paid off in the 87th minute when his forceful play triggered a counter-attack, setting up the newly-signed Olympique Lyon forward, Ernest Nuamah, for the decisive match-winning goal.

5. Thomas Partey sorely missed

Thomas Partey, the deputy captain of the Black Stars, was notably absent due to injury, and his impact was sorely missed during the match.

Even though Hughton opted for a midfield duo of Elisha Owusu and Abdul Salis Samed, neither player could adequately step into the significant role typically occupied by the Arsenal midfielder.

Partey's dynamic presence in the midfield, marked by his intelligent positioning that aids in transition, was noticeably absent.

Additionally, his powerful long-range shots from outside the box were missed. Samed attempted a couple of times but failed to replicate Partey's prowess.

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Ghana secure AFCON ticket at CAR's expense

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Ghana have qualified for the AFCON in Ivory Coast thanks to Ernest Nuamah, who climbed off the bench to score the winner as the Black Stars came from a goal down to beat the Central African Republic.

Mohammed Kudus cancelled an early strike from Louis Mafouta as Ghana went into the break level.