In a very pulsating encounter between the Ghana Blackstars and Mali in a World Cup qualifier match, Jordan Ayews’s Late Heroics secures a crucial victory for Ghana against Mali in Bamako.
The Black Stars’ 2-1 victory has not only bolstered their chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup but also showcased the resilience and determination that defines Ghanaian football.
Mali, with a home turf advantage at the Stade 26 Mars in Bamako, were very confident of their chances. Ghana, despite being away, came prepared to face the daunting challenge, with head coach Otto Addo leading the charge and urging his players to maintain focus and composure.
Despite the Malians taking a late first-half advantage through a Kamory Doumbia deflected strike shattering the Ghanaian hopes of securing a win.
However, their resilience paid off in the second half as Ernest Nuamah, the Lyon forward, finished off with a volley to put the Blackstars on Level parking.
The Malians turned on their charge after conceding, with several attacks and flair of attacking football with Adama Traoré, Aliou Dieng, and Youssoufou Niakaté leading the charge.
With various tactical switches from both teams, Jordan Ayew replaced Antoine Semenyo late into the game after Antoine Semenyo wasted some key chances both in the first half and early in the second half.
As the clock ticked towards the 90th Minute Mark of the match, it seemed the match was to end in a stalemate.
But a late strike from Jordan Ayew was all Ghana needed to secure the three points.
Ghana’s bench erupted in celebration when Jordan Ayew found the back of the net in the 94th minute and sprinted towards the bench to embrace his teammates. His late winner not only secured three crucial points for Ghana but also demonstrated his poise and quality under pressure.