Ghana beat Sao Tome and Principe 3-1 in AFCON qualifier

FILE: Black Stars top Group C after thrashing Sao Tome [photo courtesy]

Despite having qualified already for the next edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) championship in Cameroon, Ghana's Black Stars beat Sao Tome and Principe 3-1 in their final Group C qualifier at the Accra sports stadium Sunday.

Ghana's manager Charles Kwabena Akonnor made changes to the team that played against South Africa on Thursday by calling up captain Andre Ayew of Swansea, Crystal Palace's Jordan Ayew, and Thomas Partey of Arsenals.

Nicholas Opoku scored his first goal for the team in the 12th minute while Jordan Ayew converted a penalty to give the home side a 2-0 lead after he was fouled in the penalty area of the visitors in the 30th minute.

Ghanaian left full-back Baba Rahman also scored his first goal as a Black Stars player and third for the team in the 60th minute to secure the three maximum points for the four-time African champions. Sao Tome and Principe pulled one back in the 82nd minute.

The win puts Ghana at the top of Group C with 13 points ahead of Sudan and South Africa who finished the qualifiers with 12 and 9 points respectively. Sao Tome and Principe is at the bottom of the group with no point.

Sudan thus qualifies alongside Ghana from Group C for Cameroon 2021.