West African giants Ghana and Nigeria both experienced shocking defeats in Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifying matches late Tuesday. Ghana surrendered a two-goal lead to lose 4-2 at home to The Gambia, while Nigeria, despite fielding seven Premier League starters, were comprehensively beaten 3-0 by Guinea Bissau.

These unexpected results cast a shadow over the qualifying campaigns for two of the continent's most storied football nations. The Gambia, with a population under three million, achieved a remarkable comeback against Ghana's nearly 35 million inhabitants. Similarly, Guinea Bissau's victory over Nigeria, a semifinalist in the last AFCON, represents a major upset.

Ghana had taken a 2-0 lead through Ernest Nuamah and Felix Afena-Gyan within 33 minutes against The Gambia. However, Muhammed Badamosi converted a penalty, followed by goals from Omar Colley and a brace from substitute Ebrima Colley, to seal the stunning comeback. The collapse led to frustrated home supporters throwing bottles onto the pitch, increasing pressure on veteran coach Carlos Queiroz, who has now overseen two losses to start their Group C campaign.

The implications of these defeats are significant for both teams' chances of qualifying for the 2027 finals, which will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Nigeria's loss, in particular, is a blow given the caliber of players in their lineup, suggesting potential underlying issues within the squad or tactical approaches.

In other notable results, Algeria managed to salvage a draw after falling two goals behind early against Burundi. Tiny Cape Verde, who impressed at the recent World Cup, also suffered a surprise home defeat to Rwanda. In contrast, traditional powerhouses like Egypt, Morocco, and Senegal secured crucial away wins, as did Benin, Comoros, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mozambique, Uganda, and Zambia.

Ivory Coast's win over Somalia, though, was also a late affair, with Yann Gboho scoring in the final minute before Bazoumana Toure added a second in stoppage time for a 2-0 victory. This result came after Ghana's own surprising loss in the same group.

Guinea Bissau's goals against Nigeria came from Franculino Dju in the first half, captain Mama Balde in the 66th minute, and Alvaro Djalo in stoppage time. The margin of defeat could have been wider, indicating a dominant performance by the away side.

These early qualifying matches set an unpredictable tone for the road to the 2027 AFCON, with several established nations facing early challenges and smaller nations demonstrating their growing capabilities on the continental stage.