Ghana’s national football team, the Black Stars have arrived safely in Accra after their successful World Cup play-off against Nigeria with bottles of champagne to celebrate their qualification.
The four times African champions sealed qualification to the World Cup after a 1-1 draw in Abuja against the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
The players and the entire management team arrived at about 2am Wednesday to a rapturous welcome few hours after they secured Ghana victory to this year’s World Cup in Qatar.
Late arrival home did not stop officials and supporters of the team from celebrating the achievement, with Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif leading the delegation that met the team on arrival at the airport as he came bearing bottles of champagne, which were popped and spilled over the tarmac as captain Thomas Partey led his teammates off the Africa World Airlines chartered flight.
Speaking with the media after arrival, Partey said, “everybody is happy and we have to celebrate. We believed in ourselves and trusted each other and now we have qualified. I am very grateful to this team.”
Partey’s opening goal gave Ghana an early lead in Abuja before Leon Balogun equalized through the penalty spot in front of a full capacity crowd in Abuja.
Ghana is making a return to the Mundial after missing the tour in Russia four years ago, having qualified three times in a row between 2006 to 2014
The Black Stars are one of three countries on the continent to reach the quarter finals of the World Cup, achieving the feat in 2014.
The Black Stars of Ghana were faced with a herculean task of upstaging fierce rivals Nigeria in their own backyard in order to grab one of Africa’s five tickets allotted for Qatar 2022.
Thomas Partey pile driver proved vital as the Black Stars of Ghana held their Nigerian counterparts to a pulsating 1-1 draw at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.
English Premier League side, Arsenal have celebrated Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey for his incredible achievement with the Black Stars.
The Arsenal star scored in Abuja to force a 1-1 draw against Nigeria to help the Black Stars qualify for the World Cup in Qatar.
In a post on Twitter, the club congratulated the midfielder following his tarring role on Tuesday night at the Moshood Abiola stadium.