Meknes, Morocco – October 8, 2025 – In a commanding display of dominance, Ghana’s Black Stars obliterated the Central African Republic 5-0 in their penultimate 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier at the Stade d’Honneur in Meknes, Morocco. The emphatic victory has propelled the four-time African champions to the brink of qualification, needing just a point from their final Group I clash against Comoros on Sunday, October 12, at the Accra Sports Stadium.
The Black Stars, under coach Otto Addo, asserted control from the opening whistle, their high-pressing game suffocating the hosts and creating wave after wave of attacking opportunities. The breakthrough came in the 20th minute when defender Mohammed Salisu rose highest to head home a pinpoint corner from Mohammed Kudus, sending the traveling Ghanaian supporters into raptures. The first half remained a tense affair thereafter, with Salisu having earlier missed a similar header and Alexander Djiku going close from a set piece, but Ghana held a slender 1-0 lead at the break.
The second half erupted into a goal-fest as the Black Stars unleashed their firepower. Just seven minutes after the restart, captain Jordan Ayew threaded a sublime pass to Thomas Partey, who rifled a low shot across goal to double the advantage in the 52nd minute. The floodgates truly opened around the 70th mark: Djiku powered in a header from another Ayew corner in the 69th minute, followed swiftly by Ayew himself volleying home a loose ball from an Antoine Semenyo cross two minutes later to make it 4-0. Substitutes Joseph Paintsil and Kamaldeen Sulemana then combined beautifully in the 87th minute, with Paintsil’s inviting cross met by Sulemana’s composed finish for his first international goal, rounding off a perfect night.
Ghana’s defense, anchored by the likes of Salisu, Djiku, Gideon Mensah, and goalkeeper Benjamin Asare, was impenetrable, with CAR managing just one notable effort—a wayward shot in the 64th minute that Asare comfortably gathered. The win catapults Ghana to 22 points atop Group I, three clear of Madagascar, virtually sealing their return to the global stage after missing out in 2018 and 2022.
This result not only avenges a prior 1-0 loss to CAR but also showcases the depth and resilience in Addo’s squad, blending Premier League stars like Partey and Kudus with rising talents such as Sulemana and Abdul Fatawu Issahaku. Fans back home are buzzing with excitement, with social media ablaze over the “thumping” performance and calls for a fitting send-off against Comoros.
As the Black Stars edge closer to a World Cup berth in North America, this masterclass serves as a timely reminder of their pedigree. All eyes now turn to Accra—where history awaits.
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