The matchday 3 Group F stalemate left the Black Stars third in Group F, four points behind Angola and two adrift of Sudan, a team competing while their country is engulfed in a civil war. Angola host Niger in Luanda on Friday and a home victory would move them seven points clear of four-time African champions Ghana halfway through qualifying.

The nations finishing first and second secure places at the finals in Morocco, and if Sudan beat Ghana in Libyan city Benghazi on Tuesday the Black Stars will be all but doomed.

Since reaching the 2017 Cup of Nations semi-finals, Ghana have been on a downward trajectory, losing in the round of 16 two years later then twice being eliminated after the group stage.

Now, a squad packed with players from the top five European leagues, and 50 places above Sudan in the world rankings, may not even reach the finals, a humiliation last suffered 21 years ago.

Ghana failed to score at home for the second straight AFCON qualifier after a pre-match tongue-lashing from Football Association president Kurt Okraku.

"Die for Ghana or never be selected again," he reportedly told a team captained by West Ham United midfielder Mohammed Kudus. "It is not acceptable to see Ghanaian players laughing and smiling after draws. The minimum I expect is a team of footballers with passion," he added.

Botswana upset Cape Verde

Sudan, who edged Niger before losing to a late goal in Angola, are coached by Ghana-born Kwesi Appiah, a 64-year-old who twice coached the Black Stars and was in the 1982 AFCON-winning team.

Appiah was also on the Ghana Football Association executive committee - a post he temporarily relinquished this week under orders from CAF, who feared a "potential conflict of interest".

Elsewhere, last-placed Botswana upset Cape Verde with a 1-0 Group C victory in windswept Praia, where the lone goal came from Tumisang Orebonye after just two minutes.

A superb long pass from midfield set up the Morocco-based forward to burst in front of a defender and slam the ball past goalkeeper Bruno Varela at his near post. Massed defence then paid off for the visiting Zebras, with the increasingly frustrated hosts resorting to long-range shots that rarely troubled goalkeeper Goitseone Phoko.

Zimbabwe veteran Khama Billiat scored off a timidly struck 34th-minute penalty to take Zimbabwe to the top of Group J with a 1-0 win over Namibia in Soweto near Johannesburg. Former Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs forward Billiat had retired from international football in 2021, but announced his availability again in August following his 34th birthday.

The match was played in South Africa because Namibia do not have an international-standard stadium, and staged behind closed doors to avoid the cost of hiring crowd-control staff.

Democratic Republic of Congo maintained a perfect Group H record with a 53rd-minute own goal by Clement Mzize delivering a 1-0 win over second-placed Tanzania in Kinshasa. Said Benrahma doubled his international goals total to four by bagging a brace as leaders Algeria came from behind to defeat Togo 5-1 in a top-of-the-table Group E clash in Annaba.

T. Orebonye

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