By Ishmeal 
Ghana’s Black Meteors suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Libya in the first leg of their 2027 CAF U-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying tie in Benghazi on Wednesday, November 11, 2026.
The defeat leaves head coach Desmond Ofei’s side with work to do ahead of the return fixture in Accra as they seek to keep their qualification hopes alive.
The decisive goal came five minutes before the end of regulation time when Malik Binismaeil found the back of the net to give Libya a slender advantage.
Black Meteors reduced to 10 men
Ghana’s task became more difficult in the second half after defender Dacosta Antwi was sent off in the 55th minute.
Despite playing with 10 men, the Black Meteors remained disciplined and worked hard to keep the Libyan attack at bay.
Ghana also had an opportunity to take the lead in the first half when Daniel Adu-Adjei broke through on goal, but his effort was stopped by Libya goalkeeper Mohammed Ammar.
The visitors appeared set to secure a goalless draw before Binismaeil’s late strike handed the hosts victory.
Ghana face crucial return leg in Accra
The Black Meteors will host Libya at the Accra Sports Stadium on Tuesday, November 17, 2026, for the second leg.
Ghana must overturn the one-goal deficit to advance to the final qualifying round, where Niger await following Equatorial Guinea’s withdrawal from the competition.
The 2027 U-23 AFCON will be hosted by Egypt, with the tournament also serving as a qualification pathway to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
The Black Meteors will now look to use home advantage and the support of Ghanaian fans to keep their campaign alive.
Also Read:Npp Primaries Awuku Faces Challenge As Samini Denies Bid