Ghana vs Cape Verde final score, result, highlights as underdogs earn late win on day of shocks at AFCON 2023
Garry Rodrigues' 92nd-minute strike condemned four-time Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) champions Ghana to defeat in their opening Group B game of the 2023 tournament on a day of surprise results in Ivory Coast.
Winger Rodrigues pounced following calamitous Black Stars defending to give the 73rd-ranked team in the world a dramatic victory and extend Ghana's poor run to one win in six matches, with Alexander Djiku's second-half equaliser the only goal they have scored across those games.
Cape Verde are ranked 12 places below Ghana and their impressive showing, which began with Jamiro Monteiro's 17th-minute opener as part of a dominant early period for the west African side, came after Equatorial Guinea held Nigeria to a 1-1 draw and Mozambique came tantalisingly close to beating Egypt earlier on Sunday.
Monteiro swept in the rebound when goalkeeper Richard Ofori could only paw Jovane Cabrel's shot into his path, but the momentum of the game changed after Majeed Ashimeru's spectacular goal from distance was ruled out for offside 10 minutes before the break.
Ransford Konigsdorffer, who had hit the woodwork seconds before Ashimeru bent his glorious strike into the corner of the net, was in an offside position and adjudged to have been interfering with play following a VAR and pitchside monitor check.
Ghana looked the more likely to score for much of the second half, defender Djiku stooping to head in from Jordan Ayew's corner as Chris Hughton's players produced a much-improved attacking display as the game wore on.
The momentum changed again during the closing stages, though, with Ofori forced to keep out close-range attempts from Cabral and Rodrigues as Cape Verde, who have never lost in four opening matches at AFCON, pushed for a
Read on sportingnews.com
