The Black Stars of Ghana faced a setback in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations group stage, drawing 2-2 against The Mambas of Mozambique at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium for the second time in the tournament.
Despite Crystal Palace winger Jordan Ayew’s brace from the penalty spot on either side of halftime, Ghana relinquished a late lead, resulting in a 2-2 draw.
The outcome leaves Ghana with two points at the conclusion of the group stage, historically a precarious position for teams aiming to qualify among the top four third-placed teams.
Initially, Ghana seemed on course for the round of 16 with Jordan Ayew’s penalty goals. However, as The Mambas intensified their pressure late in the second half, Ghana faced difficulties.
The turning point came when skipper Andre Ayew was deemed to have handled the ball in the penalty box, leading to Mozambique scoring from the ensuing penalty kick, courtesy of Geny Catama.
The equaliser for Mozambique occurred from a corner kick, awarded after goalkeeper Richard Ofori inexplicably handled a stray effort. Atletico Madrid defender Reinildo Mandava, who was involved in the earlier penalty incident, rose highest to head the ball past Ofori in the fourth minute of added time.
The result leaves Ghana with the challenge of navigating the knockout stage with only two points from the group stage.
