Resurgent Black Stars: Ghana seals fifth World Cup berth with win over Comoros

GHANA: Ghana sealed qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2026 after edging Comoros 1-0 in their final Group I encounter, completing a remarkable turnaround following last year’s African Cup of Nations heartbreak. The victory secured top spot in their group with 25 points from ten matches and confirmed their fifth appearance at the world's biggest stage.

It marks a powerful resurgence for the Black Stars, who had failed to qualify for the 2025 AFCON — their first absence from the continental finals since 2004. The setback triggered widespread criticism and calls for head coach Otto Addo to step down, but the former midfielder stood firm.

“I’m not the person who can resign. If I had done this, I’d never have become a player or even a coach,” Addo had said after the AFCON disappointment. “If you know where I have come from as a person to arrive at this job, you won’t even ask about resignation.”

Addo, who previously guided Ghana to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, rebuilt the squad with renewed focus and a fresh backroom team. His faith paid off as Ghana held off a spirited challenge from Madagascar to secure qualification on the final day, with Mohammed Kudus delivering the decisive strike against Comoros.

Jordan Ayew’s scoring form also proved crucial, with the experienced forward netting seven goals during the qualifiers.

Ghana’s qualification means the four-time African champions will make their fifth World Cup appearance since debuting at Germany 2006. They famously reached the quarter-final in 2010, when Asamoah Gyan’s extra-time winner over the United States set up a dramatic clash with Uruguay that remains one of the most memorable matches in World Cup history.

This time, the Black Stars will aim to go further and reassert their place among Africa’s footballing elite.

Netherlands eases past Finland

Memphis Depay extended his record-breaking scoring streak for the Netherlands as it cruised to a 4-0 win over Finland in their World Cup qualifier on Sunday.

The victory kept it comfortably in the lead in Group G and a step closer to booking a berth at next year’s finals in North America. It has 16 points from six games, three more than Poland.

Donyell Malen got the scoring going at the Johan Cruyff Arena with an eighth-minute strike, followed by a header from Virgil van Dijk nine minutes later.

Depay tucked away a 38th-minute penalty to take his tally of goals for the Dutch to 54, having gone past Robin van Persie’s previous record of 50 last month, before Cody Gakpo made it 4-0 six minutes from fulltime.