YAOUNDE: Four-time champions Ghana were eliminated from the Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday in a stunning upset, while Morocco and Senegal won their respective groups but without backing up their status as pre-tournament favourites.

Just two days after Equatorial Guinea shook up the tournament by beating defending champions Algeria, equally tiny Comoros humiliated Ghana with a 3-2 win in their Group ‘C’ clash in Garoua in one of the competitions biggest surprises so far.

The small Indian Ocean island archipelago are making their Cup of Nations debut and registered not only their first goal of the tournament but their first win in a stunning result.

They might even sneak into last 16 as one of the best four third-placed finishers after condemning Ghana to last place but will have to wait for the outcome of the last group games on Wednesday and Thursday.

El Fardou Ben Mohamed scored Comoros first ever goal at the continental finals before Ahmed Mogni added a second just past the hour-mark.

Ghana had captain Andre Ayew sent off early in the match, but goals from Richmond Boakye and Alexander Djiku levelled the tie as they fought back, only for Comoros’ Mogni to grab a winner with five minutes remaining.

We did not back down even after Ghana equalised. We always believed we could achieve a famous victory for our nation,” said Comoros coach Amir Abdou, who has been in charge since 2014.

I sent on attacking players in the belief that we could score a third goal and my decision paid off. Now we must wait to see if we are among the best four third-placed teams and play in the second round.

We are satisfied with the way we played. We had a plan and stuck to it. We learnt from the mistakes we made in previous games. Obviously, I’m unhappy that we conceded twice, but we will improve.”

Serbian-born Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac said he would not resign despite his team finishing last with just one point.

I came to Ghana to qualify the team for the World Cup. That is my primary target,” he said. I will stay and lead the team in the March play-offs.”

Morocco won the group after a 2-2 draw with Gabon in another pulsating game. Morocco, who had already qualified, twice came from behind and snatched the point that won the group with a curling free kick from Paris St Germain’s Achraf Hakimi with six minutes to go.

Gabon were missing their three best players with captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and midfielder Mario Lemina sent back to their clubs for more medical tests after suffering from the aftereffects of Covid-19. Forward Denis Bouanga was among a new group of players to test positive for the virus.

Gabon will be hoping Aubameyang and Lemina are cleared to return for Sunday’s opening match of the round of 16 where they will take on Burkina Faso in Limbe.

Senegal finished top of Group ‘B’ earlier on Tuesday, ahead of Guinea, but it was after yet another unconvincing performance despite the return from Covid-19 quarantine of captain Kalidou Koulibaly and goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.

They were fortunate not to concede a penalty in a 0-0 draw with unfancied Malawi on Tuesday and have still only scored one goal a stoppage time penalty by Sadio Mane — after three games.

Malawi were left fuming when Cameroon referee Blaise Ngwa cancelled a late penalty he initially awarded them in Bafoussam, after Gomezgani Chirwa was brought down in the box by defender Bouna Sarr.

The decision was overturned on review, but Senegal can regard themselves as fortunate as there was both a pull of the shirt and contact.

Malawi’s president Lazarus Chakwera had offered each of those who played against Senegal a payment of 1 million Kwacha ($1,223) if the team advanced to the second round, which they look almost certain to do despite finishing third in the group.

Guinea came second — on a head-to-head count back against Malawi — despite losing 2-1 to Zimbabwe, who had already been eliminated.

Naby Keita pulled one back for Guinea after Zimbabwe had led 2-0 at half-time In Yaounde but was booked late in the game and will be suspended from their second round clash next week.

Published in Dawn, January 20th, 2022