The Black Stars squandered a golden opportunity to tighten their grip on Group I, settling for a disappointing 1-1 draw against Chad at the Stade Olympique Maréchal Idriss Déby Itno on September 4.

On paper, this was supposed to be a straightforward win. Ghana entered the game as overwhelming favourites, with an 80% chance of victory against a Chad side that had lost all six of their previous qualifiers.

But football is played on the pitch, not on paper and Ghana’s performance proved why complacency can be costly.

Here are the three things JoySports' Ofei Frimpong observed from the match.

Bright start, missed chances

The Black Stars started well, stretching Chad’s defence with early pressure down the flanks. That dominance paid off in the 17th minute when captain Jordan Ayew scored his sixth goal of the campaign, tapping home after a Mohammed Kudus cross was deflected.

It should have been the platform for a comfortable win. Moments later, Caleb Yirenkyi had the chance to make it 2–0 but wasted it, blasting wide from close range. That miss proved pivotal.

Ghana controlled the first half with 68% possession, three total shots, and one on target, the goal itself. They looked composed but lacked the ruthlessness to kill the game early.

Second-half sluggishness

The second half highlighted Ghana’s biggest weakness on the day, lack of urgency. Despite holding 62% possession, Otto Addo’s men produced just three shots, with only one on target.

Their transitions were slow, their build-up predictable, and they appeared content to pass the ball around rather than take risks.

The only threatening moment came from a neat exchange between Kudus and Bonsu Baah, whose curling effort drifted wide. Beyond that, the Black Stars offered little cutting edge.

Chad’s resurgence

Sensing Ghana’s passivity, Chad grew in confidence. They pressed harder, looked sharper on the counter, and tested Ghana’s backline with greater frequency.

They almost equalised earlier when Gideon Mensah’s error gifted Hiver Amine a chance, but the effort went begging. Still, Chad never relented, and their persistence paid off in the 89th minute.

Celestin Ecua cut through a static defence, waltzing past three Ghana players before firing past goalkeeper Benjamin Asare. It was no more than they deserved after registering five shots in the second half, two on target, including the goal.

A wake-up call

The draw gave Chad their first point in Group I, and Ghana the unwanted record of being the team to hand it to them. With 16 points, the Black Stars remain on top, but instead of creating a six-point cushion, they are now just four clear.

That lead could shrink to a single point if second-placed Comoros beat Mali later in the day.

For Otto Addo and his men, the lesson is simple: possession without penetration means nothing. Against Chad, Ghana dominated the numbers but lost the intensity and ultimately, the result.

Up next for the Black Stars is matchday eight of the qualifiers against Mali on September 8 at the Accra Sports Stadium.