AFCON 2021: Ghana records poorest performance at continental showpiece, exit group stages for first time in 14 years
Ghana’s quest to win a fifth AFCON trophy after 40 years came to a shocking end as they lost to 132nd FIFA ranked team Comoros.
Comoros beat Ghana 3-2 at the Roumdé Adjia Stadium on Tuesday in the third and final day of Group C, rekindling their hopes as Ghana officially bowed out of the competition after a game full of emotion and drama.
Despite their lack of experience in front of the four-time champions Ghana, Comoros added to the spectacular performances of underdogs at the AFCON as a quick counter-attacking move eventually led to the early goal from captain El-Fardou Mohamed.
Ghana’s nightmare was just beginning as a serious foul by captain Andre Ayew on Comoros goalkeeper Boina Ben earned him a red card at the 23rd minute. Ayew was trying to take advantage of a rebound and ended up injuring the goalkeeper, who had to be replaced in the 24th minute by his colleague Ahamada Nadhoim.
Comoros’ second goal came in the 61st minute through Ahmed Mogni, who broke through four defenders and slotted the ball into the back of the net but Ghana were levelled through Richmond Yiadom and defender Alaxander Djiku.
The Black Stars continued their abysmal run of conceding late goals as Comoros took the lead again with the third goal scored by Ahmed Mogni on the 86th minute.
History will remember the 2021 AFCON as Ghana’s worst performance at the continental showdown after failing to qualify from a group which had Morocco, Comoros and Gabon.
It will be the first time the Black Stars exit an AFCON without a single win in 23 appearances and the first time they exit the tournament at the group stages since 2006.
Despite winning the African Cup on four occasions, one of the greatest power houses in world football is also the team with the most finals lost in the competition.
The Black Stars have lost the finals on five occasions; 1968, 1970, 1992, 2010 and the most recent was to Ivory Coast on penalties in 2015.
Statistically, the Black Stars have experienced a decline in performances at the previous AFCON editions since losing the finals to Ivory Coast in 2015.
At the 2015 tournament in Equatorial Guinea, Ghana progressed to the quarterfinals as winners of group C setting up a clash with Guinea. The Black Stars crusied pass the Syli Nationals 3-0 and went on to face host nation Equatorial Guinea in the Semifinals. Ghana reached the finals after thrashing them 3-0 to set up a clash with Ivory Coast.
Was this final time that the trophy will come home again? These were questions playing in the minds of Ghanaians as we watched on in anxiety.
The final was intense as both teams couldn’t break the deadlock after 120 minutes of football. Ghana’s penalty nightmare continued to hunt them as they lost to Ivory Coast even the latter missed their first two penalties
In the 2017 tournament in Gabon, the Black amassed 6 points in their three group games to set up a quarterfinal clash with DR Congo which they won 2-1 to progress to the Semifinals.
Ghana couldn’t go pass Cameroon at the Semifinals losing by 2-0. The bronze medal game was up for grabs but the Stars lost to the Stallions of Burkina Faso by a goal to nil as they returned home placing fourth.
The 2019 tournament in Egypt saw a change of format as CAF introduced the 24 team tournament. Ghana progressed from to the round of 16 as group F winners setting up a clash with Tunisia. The Stars lost 5-4 to Tunisia on penalties, once again exiting at the round of 16 stage.
Per this performance, it was obvious that the Stars would struggle to qualify from the group stages.
Many have called for coach Milovan Rajevac to be sacked but the gaffer still believes he has one work to do.
“I will not resign, because I came here to take Ghana to the World Cup”
Ghana will be hoping to have a good pairing as they look to make their fourth appearance on the world stage after missing out the 2018 edition in Russia
