Niger shockingly beat Ghana 1-2 at the Ohene Gyan Stadium in the final fixture of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The results of this game was obviously not going to mean anything for Ghana who have already missed out on qualifying to the next AFCON - having finished at the bottom of Group F in the qualifiers with only three points from six matches.
Coach Otto Addo maintained only five players from the team that started the last game introducing six new players with Nathaniel Adjei, Terry Yegbe and Isaac Afful all getting their first starts.
Both teams started the game with just possession and were all looking very calm until Niger came so close to scoring after the tenth minute mark but Kairou Amoustapha's shot went straight at the throat of Manaf Nurudeen.
Seven minutes later, Ghana's first dangerous opportunity was produced as Kudus picked up Isaac Afful with a good pass on the left flanks but the former's cross met no connection and moved across the face of goal.
Niger surprisingly opened the scoring in the 21st minute thanks to a brilliant towering header from Ousseni Badamassi who leaped high to connect from a corner kick.
In the second half, Niger had themselves a free kick of which Daniel Sosah decided to go for power but his strike was way off target. Quick counter attack from Ghana but Osman Bukari's final effort went wide.
Finally the Black Stars got back on level terms in the 67th minute through youngster Jerry Afriyie who struck into the bottom corner Nuamah's cross. Just what they kept on hunting for.
Four minutes later, Razak Simpson came so close to putting Ghana in the lead after heading from Nuamah's corner kick but went off the crossbar.
Kudus Mohammed's 84th minute sumptuous free kick unluckily went off the crossbar as it finished 1-1 in Accra.
Oumar Sako headed from a free kick in the 92nd minute to snatch the winner with Kudus Mohammed also missing from the spot four minutes later as it finished 1-2 for Niger.
The Black Stars will regroup again in March next year to face Chad in match-day five of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers
