Jordan Ayew scores as Chad grab dramatic late equalizer against Ghana

Jordan Ayew thought he had done enough for Ghana when his 17th-minute strike, calmly tucked away after a neat pass from Mohammed Kudus, put the Black Stars ahead. It was his sixth goal of the qualifying campaign, a finish that underlined his confidence and lifted him to second on the CAF scoring charts, just behind Gabon’s Denis Bouanga.

For much of the game, Ghana looked in control. They slowed things down after the opener, breaking up Chad’s rhythm and carrying their lead into halftime despite Emmanuel Owusu picking up a yellow card. Otto Addo’s men managed the tempo, but a failure to grab a second goal would prove costly.

Chad came back after the break with renewed energy and bite. Substitutes Aziz Tchaouana and Hamed Amine gave the hosts a sharper edge, forcing Ghana deeper. Addo responded with changes of his own,  Francis Bonsu Baah, Kamaldeen Sulemana, and later Osman Ibrahim — but the Black Stars couldn’t find the killer blow.

Then came the twist. With just a minute left of normal time, substitute Celestin Ecua stole into the box and swept home Mbangossoum’s pass, sending the home crowd into raptures. Ghana’s hopes of a fifth straight win dissolved in that moment, replaced by frustration at missed chances.

The draw leaves Ghana top of Group I on 16 points, four ahead of Comoros with two games still to play. But with Madagascar and Mali also lurking, the race for qualification is anything but settled.