The Ghana Black Stars traveled to Mali for their third game in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Mali dominated the first half and scored the opener in the 45th minute +1, through a deflected shot by Kamory Doumbia.
The Black Stars started the second half with much promise and made several attempts to equalize. In the 58th minute, Mohammed Kudus made an incursion but lost possession, but the Eagles of Mali failed to clear their lines effectively, and the ball fell to Abdul Salis Samed, whose brilliant cross found Ernest Nuamah, who scored the equalizer for Ghana with a pinpoint header, leveling the score.
The Eagles of Mali came into the game again very strongly, trying to find the winner. The 46-year-old Malian coach, Eric Sekou Chelle, made four substitutions in the second half, by the 65th minute, still pushing for the winner, but their efforts did not live up to expectations.
Black Stars coach, Otto Addo, made his first change in the 72nd minute, substituting Ernest Nuamah with Elisha Owusu to stabilize the midfield due to the pressure from the Malians. He then made double changes in the 79th minute, bringing on Jordan Ayew for Antoine Semenyo and Abdul Mumin for Alidu Seidu. The changes appeared to stabilize things for the Black Stars after the three substitutions.
In the 88th minute, the gaffer made his final substitutions, introducing Ibrahim Sulemana for Abdul Salis Samed and Issahaku Fatawu for Mohammed Kudus, in a double change. The Black Stars then controlled the game, ensuring they didn’t leave Mali without at least a point.
The fourth official showed five minutes of additional time. The Black Stars had a counterattack, in which Jordan Ayew gave a through ball to the captain, Thomas Partey, whose effort couldn’t find the back of the net. A few moments later, they found themselves in the Malians’ eighteen-yard area, and Issahaku found Jordan Ayew, who brilliantly connected to give the Black Stars their first away win in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
The Black Stars now sit second on the league table, behind Comoros, who have a game in hand and the same number of points (6). Ghana will face the Central African Republic on Monday, June 10, in Kumasi, for their fourth game in the qualifiers.
