Stranger things have happened but not many saw Ghana’s early exit coming from the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

The Black Stars went into their final group game against Comoros needing a win to stay alive in the tournament after losing on the opening day to Morocco and held by Gabon to a 1-1 draw in the second group game last Friday.

Ben Nabouhane fired the underdogs in front as early as the fourth minute only for Andre Ayew to make Ghana’s bad situation worse by getting sent off midway into the first half, leaving a ten man Ghana team to fight for their lives.

Comoros didn’t retreat to their shells or try to defend, they took the game to the African giants and were rewarded shortly after the hour mark as Ahmed Mogni doubled their advantage with a goal that questioned the character of the Ghanaian defense.

Ghana responded just two minutes after conceding the second, Richmond Boakye headed home from a set piece, knowing they needed two goals from there, Ghana went on the offensive and gave the gave everything they had.

Caution in the wind, Ghana laid siege on the Comoros goal and were soon rewarded with an equalizer from another set piece; Alexander Diku met Thomas Partey’s free kick unmarked at the far end and slotted home to give the Black Stars some hope.

A win would have been enough to qualify as one of the best third but all hopes were dashed five minutes from full time when Mogni got on the end of a counter attack to score his second of the night and confirmed the final nail on Ghana’s coffin.

Comoros take third place and must now wait to see if they make the cut as one of the four that will advance to the next round as best third; for Ghana it is the end of the road for the Black Stars who finish rock-bottom of their group and miss out of the knockout stages for the first time in 16 years.

Man of the match: El Fardou Ben Mohamed

Scoring your nation’s first-ever #TotalEnergiesAFCON goal 🇰🇲

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Claiming the TotalEnergies Man of the Match award 🥇

Well done, El Fardou Ben Mohamed 👏 #TotalEnergiesAFCON2021 | #AFCON2021 | #TeamComoros | @Football2Gether pic.twitter.com/UAqx9SwW7P

— #TotalEnergiesAFCON2021 🏆 (@CAF_Online) January 18, 2022

Ghana 2-3 Comoros: Match highlights

Group C standings

• #TeamGabon accompany #TeamMorocco to the round of 16 ✅

• A historic evening for #TeamComors who pull off the ultimate upset against #TeamGhana 😯

Group C standings 📊#TotalEnergiesAFCON2021 | #AFCON2021 pic.twitter.com/iH22HbuPdf

— #TotalEnergiesAFCON2021 🏆 (@CAF_Online) January 18, 2022