Watch how Libya edged Black Meteors in U-23 AFCON qualifier first leg

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 on Wednesday, November 11, 2026.

The match, played at the Benina Martyrs Stadium in Benghazi, saw Desmond Ofei’s side struggle to maintain their early momentum after being reduced to 10 men in the second half.

Ghana started brightly and came close to taking the lead before the break when Daniel Adu-Adjei was played through on goal, but his effort was denied by Libya goalkeeper Mohammed Ammar.

The Black Meteors' task became more difficult inthe 55th minute when defender Dacosta Antwiwas sent off after receiving a second yellow card.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, Ghana remained disciplined and worked hard to keep the Libyans at bay.

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However, Malik Binismaeil struck five minutes before the end of regulation time to hand the hosts a narrow victory.

The defeat leaves Ghana needing a strong response in the return fixture scheduled for Tuesday, November 17, at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The Black Meteors must overturn the one-goal deficit to progress to the final qualifying round, where Niger await.

The winner of the two-legged tie will move a step closer to securing a place at the 2027U-23 AFCON in Egypt, which also serves as a qualification pathway to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Watch match highlights:

85’ Goal. Libya take the lead.

🇱🇾 Libya U-23 1️⃣-0️⃣ Ghana U-23 🇬🇭

https://t.co/kwBE48hT2K

— 🇬🇭 Ghana Football Association (@ghanafaofficial) November 11, 2026