FIFA 2026 WCQ: Sports Minister Kofi Adams Reacts to Jordan Ayew’s Goal Against Chad
- Sports Minister Kofi Adams could not hide his excitement after Jordan Ayew netted Ghana’s opener against Chad
- The Black Stars captain’s strike was cancelled out late on, as the North-Central African side grabbed a draw
- The result now leaves Ghana needing a must-win performance against Mali, who cruised past Comoros with a 3-0 victory
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Hon. Kofi Iddie Adams, Minister of Sports and Recreation, could not contain his joy when Jordan Ayew struck for Ghana in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Chad.
Wearing a jacket over a Black Stars jersey and holding a cup in his hand, the Member of Parliament for Buem erupted in delight as he followed the game with his entourage from his office.
Source: Getty Images
Watching the replay, he muttered with pride, "Ohh, this is beautiful. Good, good, good."
Jordan, who has been the team’s most reliable forward throughout the qualification campaign, once again lived up to his reputation in N’Djamena.
In the 17th minute, he finished off a flowing move by calmly sweeping home a pass from Mohammed Kudus.
His strike sent the packed Stade Olympique Maréchal Idriss Deby Itno into silence and pushed his tally to six goals in seven matches.
Watch Jordan Ayew's goal:
Ghana squandered Jordan Ayew’s opener, missing a flurry of golden chances that could have sealed the game.
As reported by CAF Online, the punishment for those wasted opportunities came in the dying moments of regulation time.
Watch Chad's equaliser:
Forward Celestine Ecua latched onto Mbangossoum’s pass, found space in the box, and calmly slotted home the equaliser, sparking wild celebrations in the stands and halting Ghana’s bid for a fifth consecutive victory in the group.
Kofi Adams explains Black Stars budget cuts
Before the match, Kofi Adams had already been in the headlines for revealing details of the budget submitted by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) for the qualifiers against Chad and Mali.
According to him, the initial $1.2 million proposal was reduced by the Ministry to $841,290.
The cuts affected several areas, including a $10,000 winning bonus earmarked for the management team, which was scrapped entirely, leaving only per diems, per Ghanasoccernet.
Source: Twitter
Players’ bonuses were halved from $10,000 to $5,000, while head coach Otto Addo’s package dropped from a proposed $20,000 to $10,000.
The Ministry also slashed GH₵58,000 (about $5,000) intended for fuelling the team bus, as well as proposed bonuses of $10,000 and $8,000 for the medical and technical support staff. Those figures were trimmed to $4,000 each.
In response, the GFA released a 176-word statement, stressing that they would address the minister’s comments after the doubleheader against Chad and Mali.
Sports Minister told to shut up
In a separate report, YEN.com.gh highlighted the backlash facing Sports Minister Hon. Kofi Iddie Adams after Ghana’s inability to defeat Chad.
A former high-ranking Ghana FA official, clearly frustrated by the result, even went as far as telling him to remain silent.
Source: YEN.com.gh
