Partey, Kudus strike as leaders Ghana crush Madagascar

AFP, Johannesburg:

Thomas Partey scored twice and fellow Premier League midfielder Mohammed Kudus once as Ghana outplayed Madagascar 3-0 on Monday in a top-of-the-table African 2026 World Cup qualifying group match.

Captain Jordan Ayew created all three goals to complete a successful night for Premier League players as Ghana built a five-point lead over second-placed Madagascar in Group I.

Adding to the joy in the Ghana camp was the fact that Mali, the top seeds in the group, surprisingly dropped two points in a 0-0 draw with the Central African Republic in Casablanca, Morocco.

Ghana, seeking a fifth World Cup appearance, have 15 points, Madagascar 10, Mali and the Comoros nine each, the Central African Republic five and Chad none.

The final matchday six fixture in the section is scheduled for Tuesday when the Comorans host the Chadians, knowing a victory would close the gap behind Ghana to three points.

Arsenal midfielder Partey scored both goals with his head. He finished an Ayew free-kick on 11 minutes and a corner taken by the Leicester City veteran on 53 minutes.

West Ham United star Kudus completed the scoring on 58 minutes. He raced on to an Ayew pass and fired past Luxembourg-based goalkeeper Geordan Dupire.

Having crushed the Central African Republic 4-1 last week in their first match under coach and former France midfielder Corentin Martins, more was expected of Madagascar against Ghana.

But they never threatened the Black Stars defence in Moroccan coastal city Al Hoceima, where Madagascar hosted the match as they are among 21 African nations who lack FIFA-approved venues. It was the fifth victory in six World Cup qualifiers for Ghana, who are seeking redemption for a disastrous 2025 Africa Cup of Nations campaign.

The four-time African champions finished last after drawing three matches and losing three in a group from which Angola and Sudan qualified.