Ghana run rampant in Accra, Cote d’Ivoire labour to victory

FIFA World Cup Qualifiers action continued on Friday, 21 March with the road to qualification gradually taking shape on Match Day 5 of the qualifiers.

Below is a summary of the late evening matches which saw Ghana cruise past Chad, while African champions Cote d’Ivoire toiled to a hard-fought victory.

The Black Stars secured their fourth win of the group to move top of Group I after a rampant 5-0 victory in Accra.

It took just two minutes for the hosts to open the floodgates as Antoine Semenyo fired home in just two minutes. Inaki Williams extended the lead in the 31^st minute before skipper, Jordan Ayew put the game beyond reach with a penalty conversion in the 36^th minute.

Coming back from the break, Mohammed Salisu make it four to the good before Ernest Nuamah sealed a comfortable victory for Ghana in the 68^th minute to make it 5-0.

Meanwhile, African champions Cote d’Ivoire laboured to a hard-fought 1-0 victory over a stubborn Burundi in a simultaneous fixture.

Evann Guessand’s solitary strike in the 16^th minute was the only goal of what was a tightly contested encounter between the two sides.

The victory sees The Elephants top Group F with just a single point separating them from second placed Gabon who are on 12 points following their win over Seychelles on Thursday.