Ghana’s pursuit of a successful campaign at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations faced another obstacle on Monday when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Niger Republic in their second Group F qualifier.
The match took place at the Stade Municipal de Berkane in Morocco and witnessed the Black Stars struggling to find their momentum as they ultimately settled for a draw against their determined opponents.
The game commenced with both sides adopting a cautious approach, however, it was Niger who managed to create the first significant opportunity.
Boubacar Hainikoye unleashed a powerful shot from distance in the 17th minute, but Ghana’s Lawrence Ati-Zigi made a superb save.
Despite the flow of the match, Ghana capitalized against the run of play just before halftime, breaking the deadlock.
Alidu Seidu’s long-range effort took a deflection and beat the Niger goalkeeper.
In the second half, Ghana had several chances to extend their lead, but they failed to convert any of them.
Mohammed Kudus and Inaki Williams both saw their attempts denied by the impressive Abiboulaye Hainikoye.
Meanwhile, Niger remained resilient and continued to push for an equalizer.
Their persistence paid off in the 81st minute when Oumar Sako headed home from a corner kick, leveling the score.
The goal came after a scramble in the box, dampening Ghana’s hopes of securing a victory.
With just one point from two matches, Ghana’s qualification prospects are now in jeopardy.
Their next challenge will be against Sudan in October, and they will need to significantly enhance their performance if they are to have any chance of progressing to the tournament hosted by Morocco.