Black Stars seal World Cup qualification with late Kudus strike

Mohammed Kudus sprinted to the corner flag, arms wide, face contorted with a release of emotion four years in the making, as the Baba Yara stadium erupted into noise that could be heard across half of Kumasi.nnHis 87th-minute curling strike into the top corner gave Ghana a 2-1 win over Morocco and confirmed the Black Stars’ qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Spain, ending a wait that had felt longer and more painful than the four years since that penalty shoot-out defeat to Uruguay in Qatar.nnGhana coach Otto Addo, who returned to the job last year after a turbulent spell under Chris Hughton’s successor, will now lead a squad that is genuinely young and genuinely ambitious to Spain. Kudus at twenty-three, Kamaldeen Sulemana at twenty-two, and a midfield anchored by Thomas Partey — who played all ninety minutes with characteristic authority — represent a core that should be competitive against quality European opposition.nnThe goal itself was vintage Kudus: a first touch to set his body shape, a half-second pause to bend the goalkeeper’s knees, and then a right-footed drive that bent away from the reaching fingertips of Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.nn”I thought of all the Ghanaian fans who never stopped believing,” said Kudus in his post-match interview, voice cracking slightly. “This is for them.”nnPresident Mahama called the squad before the press conference and promised a full state reception. The streets of Kumasi, Accra, Tamale and Takoradi were impassable by midnight as celebrations continued into the small hours.