Debutants Comoros Island on Tuesday in Garoua shocked Ghana 3-2 to bundle the African football powerhouse out of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cameroon.

The Group C match played at the Roumde Adjia Stadium saw the four-time champions losing to their less-fancied opponents.

They thus finished bottom of their group with one point from one draw and two losses in three matches.

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

Goals from Richmond Boakye and Alexander Djiku levelled the game for Ghana, but Mogni grabbed a winner for the tiny island nation with five minutes remaining.

The Black Stars had their captain Andre Ayew sent off in the 25th minute after a reckless collision with the Comoros goalkeeper Ben Boina during a goalmouth scramble.

This is the first time in their history that Ghana have failed to progress from the group stage.

NAN reports that Morocco topped Group C with seven points, followed by Gabon with five points, with both teams assured of automatic qualification.

In the Morocco versus Gabon match played in Yaounde at the same time, Gabon led twice through Jim Allevinah and a Nayef Aguerd own-goal while Sofiane Boufal and Achraf Hakimi netted for Morocco.

Comoros, who finished third in the group with three points, still have an outside chance of being among the best third-placed finishers.

But their -2 goals difference will likely count against them.

(NAN)