2023 AFCON: The Black Stars of Ghana suffer a 2-1 defeat to the Blue Sharks of Cape Verde

The Black Stars of Ghana suffered a shocking 2-1 defeated to Cape Verde in their Sunday clash with Ghana as part of the group stage of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Cote d’Ivoire

Cape Verde started the game on a strong note, with Jamiro Monteiro netting the first goal in the match in the 17th minute.

Ghana pulled the game into a tie in the 56th minute with a goal by Alexander Djiku.

However, Cape Verde regained their lead in the 92nd minute with a goal by Gary Rodriguez.

This is not the first time Ghana and Cape Verde have gone head-to-head in the tournament. Their previous encounter was in the quarter-finals of the 2013 tournament, which saw Ghana emerge victorious with a 2-0 win.

With 24 appearances, the Ghanaian Black Stars stands as one of the most consistent teams in AFCON history, trailing only behind Egypt and Cote d’Ivoire.

However, despite early successes in 1963, 1965, 1978, and 1982, the Black Stars have experienced a championship drought, with none of their subsequent 16 appearances culminating in victory.

In recent AFCON campaigns, Ghana won just one of their last nine matches and suffered an early exit in the group stages of the previous edition.

Cape Verde held an unbeaten record in opening matches, with one win and two draws.

Last Updated on March 19, 2026 by Samuel Kwame Boadu

Samuel Kwame Boadu

Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Accra Street Journal, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.

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