A penalty incident took centre stage after the Black Stars’ defeat to Côte d’Ivoire in their first game of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers on September 24, 2026.

Ghana conceded the opening goal from a long-range strike by Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Malick Yalcouye, who beat Lawrence Ati-Zigi just before the end of the first half.

The second half started with little improvement from Ghana, as the team continued to concede chances and was unfortunate to find itself at the centre of another controversial incident.

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Ivorian goalscorer Yalcouye received the ball on the flank and drove into the box before attempting to cut the ball back. However, his attempt to get back to it was foiled as he went down.

Winger Fatawu Issahaku made slight contact with the Brighton player, and referee Mustapha Ghorbal deemed it a foul and awarded a penalty.

The decision drew fierce protests from the Black Stars players, who confronted the referee for several minutes. Bonsu Baah was booked in the process for his complaints.

Eventually, Franck Kessie converted the penalty, placing the ball down the middle as Ati-Zigi dived in the wrong direction.

The decision has generated significant controversy among the public, with head coach Carlos Queiroz, some players and fans criticising the call as a poor decision.

Questions have also been raised about the absence of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in the AFCON qualifying games.

Watch the penalty incident below:

Watch controversial penalty awarded to Ivory Coast in Ghana clash.

Was it a penalty? pic.twitter.com/vrKjbUumPD

— Ibrahim Sannie Daara (@SannieDaara) September 24, 2026