Ghana strengthens World Cup bid with Partey's two goals

Thomas Partey scored twice to help Ghana secure a 3-0 win over Madagascar, boosting their hopes for the 2026 World Cup. Ghana leads Group I by five points, sitting ahead of second-place Madagascar. The Black Stars' victory was vital, especially since they did not qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. Ghana's win was supported by a draw between Mali and Central African Republic. Mali is now six points behind Ghana in the group, with four games left in the qualifying round. In another match, Ivory Coast returned to the top of Group F after defeating The Gambia 1-0. A header from Sebastien Haller decided the match, putting Ivory Coast a point ahead of Gabon. Only group winners will secure a spot in the World Cup, with four best second-placed teams competing for an extra spot in the intercontinental playoffs. Burkina Faso also earned a vital win against Guinea-Bissau, reducing Egypt's lead in Group A to two points. In Group H, Namibia trails Tunisia by one point after drawing with Equatorial Guinea. Liberia won their match, putting them two points behind Namibia. Tunisia has a chance to extend their lead in their upcoming match against Malawi. In their game against Madagascar, Partey opened the scoring with a header from a free-kick. He scored again from a corner, while Mohammed Kudus added the third goal. Ghana aims for consecutive World Cup appearances but must overcome their previous struggles in the Africa Cup of Nations. Ivory Coast remained unbeaten in the qualifiers, relying on goalkeeper Yahia Fofana's crucial saves against The Gambia. The Elephants have yet to concede a goal in qualifying but have not performed convincingly in their last two games.