2026 World Cup Qualifiers: Ghana Secures Dominant Victory Over Chad to Take Lead in Group I

The Black Stars of Ghana put on an electrifying display on Friday night, achieving a resounding 5-0 victory against Chad at the Accra Sports Stadium and rising to the summit of Group I in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Right from the start, Ghana demonstrated their ambition, aggressively pressing Chad from the very first whistle. Their persistence paid off early when Antoine Semenyo took advantage of a chaotic situation in the penalty area to score the opening goal.

The four-time Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) champions continued to apply the pressure, though Jordan Ayew squandered a great chance to double the advantage, firing over from close range.

While Chad made brief attempts to counterattack, they were quickly overpowered by Ghana’s offensive capabilities.

In quick succession, Inaki Williams scored with a well-placed header from a precise cross, fulfilling his earlier promise to find the net, followed by Jordan Ayew converting a penalty after Semenyo was fouled in the box. By the halftime break, Ghana had a commanding 3-0 lead, having kept Chad to zero shots on target.

The second half saw no decrease in Ghana’s supremacy. Mohammed Salisu added to the tally 12 minutes after the restart, scoring with a header from an Ernest Nuamah corner.

Nuamah then got on the scoresheet in the 69th minute, capping off a wonderful team move with a low shot, assisted by a clever backheel from Ayew.

With the match comfortably in their control, coach Otto Addo brought on fresh players, including Kamaldeen Sulemana, Francis Abu, Jerome Opoku, Jerry Afriyie, and debutant Lawrence Agyekum. Despite further opportunities for Afriyie and Mohammed Kudus, who both missed several chances during the game, the score remained 5-0.

This emphatic victory marked Ghana’s first five-goal performance since their win against Qatar in 2020 and represented Chad’s heaviest competitive defeat since 2015. The outcome propels Ghana to the top of Group I, setting the stage for their crucial match against Madagascar on Monday in Morocco.

Not only did Ghana’s performance reinstate confidence following their failure to qualify for the 2025 AFCON, but it also underscored their determination to secure a place in the 2026 World Cup, which is set to take place in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.