Mohammed Kudus ended his 14-game goal drought as Ghana strengthened their lead in Group I of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers with a commanding 3-0 victory over Madagascar at the Grand Stade Al-Hoceima in Morocco on Monday.

The West Ham United midfielder sealed the win with Ghana’s third goal in the 58th minute after Arsenal’s Thomas Partey had already netted a brace of headers.

Leicester City’s Jordan Ayew played a pivotal role, providing assists for all three goals as the Black Stars dominated proceedings.

Kudus’ strike, his 12th goal in 35 appearances for Ghana, marked his first goal for club or country since December, when he scored in West Ham’s 1-1 draw against Brighton & Hove Albion.

The victory extends Ghana’s lead at the top of the group to five points, with 15 points from six games. 

Madagascar remains second with 10 points, though Comoros could narrow the gap if they defeat Chad in their upcoming fixture. With two more rounds of qualifiers in September and October, Ghana is edging closer to securing a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

For the Black Stars, qualifying for the global showpiece would serve as a significant morale boost following their disappointment of missing out on the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. 

Meanwhile, West Ham will hope Kudus’ return to scoring form signals a resurgence as they look to salvage their season.