The Black Stars of Ghana have secured qualification to the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations to be hosted by Cameroon after drawing 1-1 with the Bafana Bafana of South Africa in FNB Stadium in Johannesburg.
After a goalless first half, Ghana international Kudus Mohammed of Ajax Amsterdam, early in the second half scored for Ghana.
The Bafana Bafana equalized after two minutes through Percy Tau who plies his trade in the English Premier League with Brighton & Hove Albion.
The result means the Black Stars have qualified for the AFCON tournament in Cameroun with a game to spare against Sao Tome and Principe.
South Africa will travel to Sudan for their final game in Khartoum on Sunday and the winner will qualify alongside the Black Stars for the AFCON.
After a cagey first half, Kudus ran onto a pass from the right and beat the South African defence with a delightful touch which took him into the box and his second touch was even better as his shot beat the keeper and went in off the post.
Ghana’s goal was short-lived as Tau grabbed the equalizer.
Thapelo Morena came close twice in the first half as the Bafana Bafana looked hungrier.
Kumasi Asante Kotoko’s Razak Abalora came to the rescue of the Black Stars with a spectacular save midway in the second half as Ghana held on to secure the needed point.
The Black Stars are sitting on top of Group C with 10 points, followed by South Africa-10, Sudan-9 and São Tomé and PrÃncipe.
With Sudan and South Africa playing each other in the final game, only one of those sides will be able to overtake the Black Stars if Ghana gets at least a point against Sao Tome and Principe and if Ghana loses to Sao Tome and Principe in the final game, Â a win over Sudan would take South Africa through as group winners, knocking the Sudanese out and Ghana will go through as runners-up.
If Ghana loses to Sao Tome and Principe in the final game, a win over South Africa would take Sudan through as group winners, leaving the Stars level on points with the South Africans with a better points tally in meetings between the two sides.
If Ghana loses to Sao Tome and Principe in the final game, a draw between South Africa and Sudan would take South Africa through as group winners. Sudan would then finish level on 10 points with Ghana but the Black Stars have a better goal difference after beating Sudan 2-0 and losing 1-0 in Khartoum.