A busy evening of 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier ended with Ghana cruising to a 1-0 win against Madagascar in Kumasi.
Chris Hughton's produced an assured display to record all that important victory. The Black Stars were far from their flowing best, especially in the first half, but they produced the quality moments in the game and in the end ran out comfortable winners. Inaki Williams scored in the dying embers of the game to win the day for Ghana.
Here are four things we learned at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium.
Majeed Ashimeru delivers complete midfield masterclass
Save for one goal of obvious quality, this was a match notable for just the occasional moments of excellence from those on display. One player who did stand out, however, was Majeed Ashimeru, who produced a complete midfield display that harnessed his somewhat unique blend of power and technique.
Stationed on the left of the midfield trio- quite evidently his favoured position- Ashimeru was afforded something of a free role as Salis Abdul Samed mopped up effectively behind him.
Most of Ghana's best moments came through the Anderletch man, as he launched counter attacks and regularly wriggled free down the flanks. Buoyed by his decisive role, the midfielder then controlled affairs in the centre of the park. Madagascar, at times, couldn't lay a glove on the Ghanaian star.
Ghana not convincing enough despite triumph
Ghana might have won the game but they were far from being the game's pl favourite. The West Africans were guilty of being overly pedestrian with their passing, though, while they are were also hampered by a lack of natural width as Jordan Ayew and Inaki Williams continually drifted inside.
Antoine Semenyo spurned two excellent opportunities either side of half-time and Williams went close twice, forcing a fine save from Melvin Adrien and almost scored with a bicycle-kick. Ghana's approach was rather flat, however, and it took a header from a Gideon Mensah cross to make the breakthrough.
Say it Quietly, Melvin Adrien is a good goalkeeper
Firmly established as the number one for the Bareas , Adrien produced another assured display between the sticks against a dangerous attack of Antoine Semenyo and Inaki Williams. The Evian Thonon netminder has taken his time to settle since getting the nod.
He produced the goods in both halves with point blank saves from Williams, Kudus and Semenyo. There was an iffy punch or two as he came for crosses, but, there is every reason to be optimistic of his ability.
Inaki Williams silences his critics.
Great players choose special moments to announce their presence. For 11 games, the striker struggled for form thus earning him of criticism of the many a Ghanaian fan.
The least opportunity, they get, they calumniate him forgetting how prolific he could be on a good day.
Fortunately for the Atletico Bilbao, he was presented with an opportunity to prove his critics wrong and he never disappointed- he outwitted the Madagascar defence and intelligently placed the head home to win the game for the Black Stars and register his debut goal for the Black Stars.
