The Black Stars of Ghana faced a disappointing start to their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign with a 1-0 defeat against Angola at the Baba Yara Stadium on Thursday. This defeat marks the first time in recent memory that Ghana has lost an opening game in the AFCON qualifiers.
The match saw Angola’s Milson come off the bench to score the only goal of the game, dashing the hopes of the home fans. The goal came in the dying moments of the match, in the 95th minute, when Milson capitalized on a failed clearance by the Ghanaian defense to score and secure victory for the Palancras Negras.
Throughout the game, Ghana struggled to break down Angola’s resolute defense. The Black Stars’ first real attempt on goal came in the 33rd minute when Mohammed Kudus, following an attack from Antoine Semenyo, managed to get a shot on target. However, the Angolan goalkeeper made a solid save to keep the scoreline level.
The first half ended with neither team finding the back of the net, despite Ghana showing signs of pressure. The second half began with Ghana looking more determined, and Kudus had another opportunity to score but his effort was well off target.
In the 56th minute, Semenyo had a chance to put Ghana ahead with a powerful strike, but once again, the Angolan goalkeeper made a crucial save to deny him. Lawrence Ati-Zigi, Ghana’s goalkeeper, was called into action in the 65th minute when he made a crucial save to tip Mabululu’s shot over the crossbar.
Ati-Zigi continued to be a key figure for Ghana, making another vital save in the 78th minute to deny Milson’s attempt. Abdul Fatawu Issahaku also tried his luck in the 80th minute with a trademark curling effort, but the shot was too close to the Angolan keeper, who made a simple save.
In the closing moments of the game, substitute Joseph Paintsil had a chance to secure a late lead for Ghana with a header in the 88th minute, but his effort was comfortably collected by Angolan goalkeeper Neblu. Just when it seemed that the game would end in a draw, Milson struck in the 95th minute to snatch victory for Angola.
The defeat also ends Ghana’s impressive 24-year unbeaten record at home in Kumasi, a statistic that highlighted the team’s strong performance in previous campaigns.
Ghana’s coach, Otto Addo, will now need to regroup and focus on the upcoming match against Niger on Monday. The Black Stars will be aiming to bounce back from this setback and secure vital points to keep their AFCON 2025 qualification hopes alive. The team’s performance in their next match will be crucial in determining their path forward in the qualifiers.
