In a crucial World Cup qualifying match, Ghana’s Black Stars secured a vital 1-0 victory over Mali, putting them in a strong position atop Group I. The winning goal came from Alexander Djiku, who scrambled the ball into the net from a Jordan Ayew corner, sealing a precious three points for his team.
With this win, Ghana now leads the group with 19 points, three points ahead of second-placed Madagascar and four ahead of Comoros. The Black Stars will now face Central African Republic away and host Comoros in their final two qualifiers next month, aiming to book their place in the World Cup.
Other Group Highlights
Group I
In another Group I match, Madagascar kept their qualifying hopes alive with a 3-1 home win against Chad. They had a difficult start, trailing at halftime, but second-half goals from Caddy Warren, Rayan Raveloson, and Hakim Abdallah secured the comeback victory.
Group E
Morocco maintained their strong momentum in Group E, defeating Zambia 2-0. Youssef En Nesyri and Hamza Igamane were on the scoresheet, keeping Morocco’s qualifying campaign on track.
Group G
Meanwhile, Algeria was held to a disappointing 0-0 draw by Guinea, a result that tightens the race in Group G. They now hold a four-point lead over Uganda and Mozambique, both of whom secured 2-0 victories. Witi and Faisal Banga scored for Mozambique against Botswana, while Allan Okello and Jude Ssemugabi were on target for Uganda against Somalia.
Group D
Libya secured a 2-0 victory over Eswatini, with Muad Eisay and Ezoo El Mariamy both finding the net in the first half. This win puts them in third place in Group D with 14 points, just one point behind Cameroon and two behind group leaders Cape Verde. Both Cameroon and Cape Verde have a game in hand and are set to face each other, which will be a key clash.
The nine group winners will automatically qualify for the World Cup in North America. The four best runners-up will move on to a playoff round in November to compete for one additional spot at the finals.
