Ghana and Nigeria Stunned as AFCON 2027 Qualifying Delivers Major Upsets

West African football powers Ghana and Nigeria both endured damaging defeats in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying on Tuesday, as a packed slate of 17 matches reshaped the early standings for the 2027 tournament to be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

In Accra, Ghana appeared in complete control of their Group C fixture against The Gambia, racing to a two-goal advantage inside 33 minutes through Ernest Nuamah and Felix Afena-Gyan. What followed, however, was a collapse that few inside the stadium could have anticipated.

The Gambia, a nation of fewer than three million people compared with Ghana's population of nearly 35 million, responded with a Muhammed Badamosi penalty before Omar Colley reduced the deficit further. Substitute Ebrima Colley then completed the turnaround with two goals, sealing a remarkable 4-2 victory for the visitors.

The defeat leaves Ghana, one of Africa's ten representatives at the recent World Cup, where they reached the last 32, without a point from their opening two Group C matches. Their campaign began with an away loss to Ivory Coast last week, and the latest result has intensified scrutiny on veteran coach Carlos Queiroz.

Ghanaian supporters made their frustration clear, hurling bottles onto the pitch during the closing stages of the match. The scenes underscored the pressure mounting on Queiroz, who was appointed to guide the Black Stars through a demanding qualifying cycle but now faces questions about his ability to steady a squad that has shown alarming fragility.

Ivory Coast, meanwhile, maintained their perfect start to Group C, though they were made to work far harder than expected by Somalia. Coventry City's Yann Gboho, making his debut, came off the bench to break the deadlock in the final minute, before Bazoumana Toure added a second five minutes into stoppage time to secure a 2-0 win.

Nigeria's evening was even more chastening. The Super Eagles, semifinalists at the most recent Cup of Nations in January, fielded seven Premier League players in their starting lineup but were comprehensively outplayed in a 3-0 defeat away to Guinea Bissau.

Franculino Dju opened the scoring with a curled effort in the first half, captain Mama Balde doubled the advantage in the 66th minute, and Alvaro Djalo completed the rout in stoppage time. The margin could have been wider still, with Guinea Bissau creating several additional chances against a Nigerian side that struggled to impose itself in any phase of the game.

Algeria, another continental heavyweight, narrowly avoided a shock of their own. Trailing 2-0 away to Burundi after just 12 minutes in Bujumbura, the Desert Foxes fought back to claim a share of the spoils in their Group I encounter. Mohamed Belloumi and Adil Boulbina scored the goals that rescued the point, though the performance under new coach Brahim Hemdani was far from convincing.

Cape Verde, who earned widespread admiration for their courageous performances at this year's World Cup, suffered a second consecutive Group K defeat. Rwanda came from a goal down to win 2-1 in Praia, with teenager Elie Iradukunda scoring the decisive goal. In the same group, Mali secured a 1-0 away victory over Liberia.

Egypt navigated a potentially tricky trip to South Sudan without Mohamed Salah, who was left at home as a precaution against the risk of injury on the artificial surface in Juba. His absence mattered little, as the Pharaohs ran out 5-0 winners in the Group B fixture, with Omar Marmoush scoring twice and Mostafa Zico, Ibrahim Adel and teenager Hamza Abdelkarim also finding the net.

Morocco continued their strong start in Group A with a 2-0 win over Lesotho, a match played in Bloemfontein, South Africa, because Lesotho lacks a stadium meeting international standards. Brahim Diaz capitalised on hesitant defending to open the scoring on the stroke of halftime, and Azzedine Ounahi added a second eight minutes from time, a result that lifted Morocco to the top of the group.

Senegal handed new coach Patrick Vieira his first victory in charge, grinding out a 1-0 win away to Ethiopia after last week's draw in Mozambique. Ibrahim Mbaye scored the only goal after 11 minutes, latching onto a pass from his Aston Villa teammate Nicolas Jackson, as the Teranga Lions defended resolutely to protect the narrow lead.

Mozambique climbed to the top of Group J on goal difference after a commanding 4-1 demolition of Sudan in Maputo, with striker Chamito scoring twice despite playing his club football in Portugal's third tier. Cameroon, meanwhile, had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Congo in Brazzaville, while Comoros claimed a 1-0 home win over Namibia in Moroni through Benjaloud Youssef's early second-half strike.

Zambia, the 2012 African champions, beat Togo 2-0 in Ndola in a match interrupted for 20 minutes by a first-half power failure. Rodolfo Aloko scored both goals in Benin's 2-1 victory over Mauritania, and debutant Arnold Vula netted the only goal as Uganda edged Libya 1-0 at home.

Home victories also went to Gabon and Zambia, completing a busy day of qualifying that reinforced the unpredictable nature of African football. While Egypt, Morocco and Senegal, three of the continent's most established sides, all navigated difficult away assignments successfully, the struggles of Ghana, Nigeria and Cape Verde served as a reminder that reputations count for little once the whistle blows.

For Ghana and Nigeria in particular, the coming months will bring intense examination. Both nations possess deep talent pools and expect to compete at the highest level, yet their opening results have left them playing catch-up in their respective groups. Whether Queiroz and Nigeria's coaching staff can arrest the slide may determine whether two of Africa's traditional powers reach the 2027 finals at all.