Chad Stuns Ghana with Last-Minute Equalizer in World Cup Qualifier
Chad secured a surprising 1-1 draw against Ghana with an equalizer in the 89th minute during the African qualifying matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The West African team appeared poised to extend their lead at the top of Group I by six points after Jordan Ayew's first-half goal.
However, Celestin Ecua surged forward and fired a left-footed shot from the edge of the penalty area, which took a significant deflection past Ghana's goalkeeper, Benjamin Asare, delighting the home crowd in N'Djamena.
Ghana had several opportunities to extend their lead, with Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo and Tottenham's Mohammed Kudus both missing chances that could have sealed the match.
Despite the draw, the Black Stars maintain a strong position to qualify for consecutive World Cup finals, holding a four-point lead at the top of Group I.
However, this advantage could diminish later today as third-placed Madagascar is set to host the Central African Republic at 16:00 GMT, followed by second-placed Comoros facing Mali away at 19:00 GMT.
Only the group winners will automatically qualify for next year's finals in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Black Stars Let Advantage Slip
Ghana had won five of their first six matches in Group I and seemed ready to overcome their failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Nevertheless, Comoros and top-seeded Mali have renewed hope for World Cup qualification after the Black Stars dropped two crucial points late in the game.
Captain Ayew was unmarked in the six-yard box when he scored the opening goal for Ghana in the 17th minute, thanks to a low cross from Kudus.
Semenyo missed a chance just before halftime, and Kudus curled a shot wide midway through the second half.
Chad rarely posed a threat, but Franky Tchaouna capitalized on a mistake by Gideon Mensah to test Asare with a shot in the final minutes.
In the dying moments, the Black Stars failed to close down Ecua, whose strike secured Chad's first point from seven matches in Group I.
This result adds pressure on Ghana as they prepare for their upcoming home match against Mali on Monday at 19:00 GMT.