The Black Stars haven’t been shining in AFCON finals in the last two editions, and the opening game this time around suggests nothing much has changed. Ghana had only one win in their nine previous tournament appearances, and that tally was made to look even worse by an admirable Cape Verde display. The islanders struck in the added time to claim a precious 2-1 win over Ghana and surprisingly claim the top spot in the Group B.Cape Verde players seemed to have watched the earlier games on Sunday and realised they had no reason to be afraid when pitted against one of the tournament’s favourites. They played with wisdom and determination and often made the Black Stars look like the inferior side in every way.
Veteran forward Garry Rodrigues scored in added time to get his country a famous win and undo Ghana’s efforts go cancel out Cape Verde’s early opener.The Blue Sharks dominated proceedings in the first half, applying pressure on the Black Stars and eventually breaking the deadlock. Jamiro Monteiro capitalized on a rebound, tapping the ball into an empty net after Ghana’s goalkeeper Richard Ofori had parried Jovane Cabral’s powerful first-time shot into his path.
Ghana had a moment of brilliance just before halftime when Majeed Ashimeru scored a stunning long-range goal, but the effort was disallowed for offside as Ransford-Yeboah Königsdörffer was in an offside position obstructing the view of Cape Verde shot-stopper Vozinha.##NAJAVA_MECA_7796221##The leaders at halftime, Cape Verde continued their attacking intent in the second half, causing issues for Ghana’s defence. However, Ghana managed to level the score within 15 minutes of the restart, as Jordan Ayew’s corner found Alexander Djiku, who bundled the ball into the bottom corner.Ghana came close to completing the comeback, with Joseph Paintsil missing a golden opportunity to put them ahead. Djiku played a crucial defensive role as well, making a last-ditch tackle to prevent Bebé from shooting and clearing the ball off the line after the former Manchester United forward’s attempt.
In the dying moments, Cape Verde capitalized on a defensive mix-up, with Rodrigues scoring a tap-in in the 92nd minute. The result leaves Ghana in a precarious position, having won only one of their last eight AFCON matches. Their title aspirations face a challenge as they prepare for a tough fixture against Egypt. Meanwhile, Cape Verde gains confidence and is now well-positioned to reach the knockout stages, reminiscent of their achievements in 2013 and 2021.AFCON 2023- GROUP STAGESaturday Ivory Coast – Guinea B. 2-0 (1-0)/Fofana 4, Krasso 58/SundayNigeria – Equatorial Guinea 1-1 (1-1)/Osimhen 38 – Salvador 36/Egypt – Mozambique 2-2 (1-0)/Mohamed 2, Salah 90+7 pen – Witi 55, Bauque 58/Ghana – Cape Verde 1-2 (0-1)/Djiku 56 – Monteiro 17, Rodrigues 90+2/Monday 17.00: (1.40) Senegal (4.60) Gambia (10.5)20.00: (2.15) Cameroon (3.25) Guinea (3.90)23.00: (1.45) Algeria (4.10) Angola (8.50)Tuesday 17.00: (1.75) Burkina Faso (3.60) Mauritania (5.70)20.00: (1.40) Tunisia (4.60) Namibia (10.5)23.00: (2.15) Mali (3.25) S.Africa (3.90)Wednesday 20.00: (1.30) Morocco (5.80) Tanzania (12.0)23.00: (2.40) Dr Congo (3.20) Zambia (3.40)***odds are subject to change***