Ghana stand one result from North America. Top of Group I on 22 points, the Black Stars need a draw against Comoros in Accra on Sunday to confirm a fifth FIFA World Cup appearance.
The stakes are simple, the mood is buoyant, and the margins still demand care: Comoros have hurt Ghana before and will arrive intent on spoiling the party.
Otto Addo’s side come into the finale off a 5-0 dismantling of Central African Republic on neutral soil in Morocco, a result that restored authority and sharpened goal difference.
Five different scorers — defenders Mohammed Salisu and Alexander Djiku, captain Jordan Ayew, Thomas Partey and substitute Kamaldeen Sulemana — underlined Ghana’s spread of threat. Victory kept the Black Stars three points clear of Madagascar (19), with Mali and Comoros both on 15.
All three remaining Group I fixtures kick off simultaneously. While Ghana host Comoros at the Accra Sports Stadium, Madagascar meet Mali and Chad face Central African Republic.
Only one equation matters to Addo’s men: avoid defeat and the ticket is theirs. Lose, and a Madagascar win would draw them level on 22 points — pushing the tie-breakers into view.
Comoros beat Ghana 1-0 in the reverse fixture on 21 November 2023, the Black Stars’ only defeat of the campaign. That night still stings in camp and in the stands. It also fuels Sunday’s narrative: a chance to both qualify and avenge. Comoros, nicknamed Les Coelacantes, cannot reach the World Cup but can make life uncomfortable — compact shape, quick counters, dangerous dead balls.
Addo has spent the week publicly warning against complacency. “We want to finish this qualification with a win,” he said. “In football, if you take your eye off the ball, you can lose it. We’ve shown the players exactly what we want — we go into this game with 100% focus.” The Ghana coach, who would become the first to qualify the nation for two World Cups, added that the occasion is “about the team, not me”.
Opposite number Stefano Cusin accepts Sunday’s Ghana are not the side Comoros beat in 2023. “Many things have changed,” he said, while pointing to lessons from recent defeats to Mali (3-0) and Madagascar (2-1). “Ghana have good players and play at home; they are almost qualified. We will try our best.”
Ghana’s last four outings include that 5-0 statement against CAR and a run that suggests balance is returning between defence and attack. Aside from a one-off friendly reverse to Nigeria, the Black Stars have tightened at set-plays, moved the ball quicker through midfield and shared goals among their front five.
Comoros have two wins in their last five. They remain spirited and organised but have conceded at key moments, often while chasing games. Their motivation on Sunday is pure jeopardy: silence a full Accra, stretch Ghana into rushed decisions and chase the moment that flips momentum.
If Ghana were to lose and Madagascar win, both would end on 22 points. CAF’s tie-breakers would then apply in this order:
With those metrics favouring Ghana as things stand, the Black Stars retain a safety net. But no-one in Addo’s camp is planning on mathematics over 90 minutes.
Addo’s message has been consistent: manage the game state, respect Comoros’ transitions, keep concentration. He referenced a past match “we led 4-0 and still lost 6-4” as a cautionary tale about switching off. Expect Ghana to press early, lean on Mohammed Kudus between the lines, and use the width of Abdul Fatawu Issahaku and Antoine Semenyo to drag the Comorian block apart.
Cusin will likely keep his compact 4-2-3-1, with captain Youssouf M’Changama the tempo-setter and Faïz Selemani and Myziane Maolida the outlets. Comoros’ best route is clear: compress the middle, force Ghana into crosses they can defend, then spring into the spaces left behind full-backs.
The nations have met at least four times. Ghana have two wins, Comoros one, with one draw. Beyond the raw ledger, the meetings have tended to hinge on who controls the middle third; Ghana’s most comfortable nights have come when Partey dictates tempo and the centre-backs step in to break pressure.
Ghana report a clean camp save for knocks monitored late in the week. Addo has praised the group’s “mentality and shape” and is expected to keep changes minimal.
Ghana (probable): Benjamin Asare; Mohammed Salisu, Gideon Mensah, Alexander Djiku, Ebenezer Annan Yirenkyi; Baba Sibo, Thomas Partey; Antoine Semenyo, Mohammed Kudus, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku; Jordan Ayew (c).
Comoros (probable): Ben Salim Pandou; Kassim M’Dahoma, Mohamed Youssouf, Yacine Boura, Osman Bakari; Ibroihim Mohamed, Youssouf Youssef; Faïz Selemani, Youssouf M’Changama (c), Rafiki Saïd; Myziane Maolida.
Qualifying on Sunday would book Ghana’s place at a 48-team World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada. It would also validate a campaign rebuilt on cleaner structure after the disappointment of missing AFCON, and add fresh momentum to a squad with a strong diaspora heartbeat and a rising core (Kudus, Fatawu, Semenyo) around senior leaders (Partey, Ayew, Djiku).
The symbolism matters. Ghana’s World Cup story — debut in 2006, last eight in 2010, further finals in 2014 and 2022 — remains a touchstone for a football nation. A fifth trip would reconnect that heritage to a new generation and rally a vast diaspora ahead of a finals staged on their doorstep.
A full house, a fast Ghana start and a Comoros side content to frustrate and wait. If Ghana score first, the evening should tilt decisively; if not, patience and set-plays may decide it. Addo has asked his players to “do this for the fans who stayed with us when things were not so good”. Ninety concentrated minutes will make that gratitude tangible — and send the Black Stars back to the World Cup.
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