Ghana qualify for 2026 WCup

Johannesburg, Oct. 14: Mohammed Kudus scored as Ghana beat Comoros 1-0 in Accra on Sunday to win Group I and become the fifth African qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup after Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia.

Cheered on by a capacity 40,000 crowd, Ghana dominated first half possession and territory, but slow, predictable attacks meant Comoros goalkeeper Adel Anzimati-Aboudou was seldom troubled.

However, the home side wasted little time after the interval in taking the lead as Tottenham midfielder Kudus struck on 47 minutes.

Comoros only partially cleared a goalmouth scramble and when the ball was crossed low into the six-yard box, Kudus tapped it into the net from point-blank range.

Success against Comoros was particularly sweet as the Indian Ocean islanders shocked Ghana at the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and beat them again in the second round of World Cup qualifying two years ago.

Ghana top the group with 25 points from 10 matches. Madagascar finished second with 19 points despite a 4-1 loss to third-placed Mali in Bamako.

It will be the fifth appearance by the Black Stars in the global showpiece. Their best performance was in 2010 in South Africa, where they lost to Uruguay after a quarter-finals penalty shootout.

Qualification for the expanded 48-nation 2026 tournament, which the United States, Canada and Mexico will co-host, justified the faith of Ghanaian officials in coach Otto Addo, who was under fire last year.

Ghana, winners of the competition four times between 1963 and 1982, did not win any of six AFCON qualifiers and finished a humiliating last behind Angola, Sudan and Niger with just three points.

The other four automatic African qualifiers for the World Cup will be decided on Monday and Tuesday with Benin, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast and Senegal the group leaders.

Egypt rested Liverpool star Mohamed Salah for their final match at home to Guinea-Bissau, and an early goal from Mohamed Hamdy delivered a 1-0 Group A victory in Cairo.

Niger upset Zambia 1-0 in Ndola to finish second in Group E behind Morocco, and currently lie third in the mini-leagues runners-up table behind Gabon and Burkina Faso.

The four best-ranked second-placed teams after the final qualifiers on Tuesday advance to play-offs in Morocco during November.

Whoever wins the mini-tournament, featuring single-match semi-finals and a final, qualifies for six-nation inter-continental play-offs next March with two World Cup places up for grabs.

Nigeria, the pre-qualifying favourites to win Group C, are third entering the final round on Tuesday, three points behind Benin and one below South Africa.

However, the Super Eagles could finish first if they defeat shock leaders Benin in Uyo and South Africa do not win at home to Rwanda.(AFP)