Ghana will need to avoid defeat in their final match against the Central African Republic in order to secure qualification for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Ivory Coast. This follows their failure to secure a victory in their penultimate qualifier against bottom-placed Madagascar on Sunday, as they drew 0-0.

Madagascar, with nothing to lose, put up a spirited performance in front of their home fans in Antananarivo and deservedly earned a point, delaying Ghana’s qualification until the last matchday. The four-time African champions were far from their best throughout the game, struggling to pose a threat to Madagascar’s defence, which managed to keep a clean sheet, their first in the qualifiers.

In his third game in charge of the Black Stars, Chris Hughton opted to rely on the experience of Andre Ayew and his brother Jordan Ayew in the attacking line, accompanied by the in-form Joseph Paintsil and Kamaldeen Sulemana. This decision meant that Mohammed Kudus, the attacking midfielder, had to settle for a place on the bench.

However, they struggled in attack, with only two shots on target despite their dominance in possession. Thomas Partey’s well-struck free-kick was the closest they came to scoring at the Mahamasina Municipal Stadium.

The draw has left Group E wide open, with three teams still in contention for qualification. Ghana currently have 9 points, followed by Angola with 8 points and the Central African Republic with 7 points. In the upcoming September fixtures, Ghana must either win or secure a draw against the Central African Republic at home, while Angola could qualify with a draw in their final game against Madagascar. As for the Central African Republic, they need a victory against Ghana to secure their place in the tournament.

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