Ghanaians jubilant over World Cup qualification

Football fans poured onto the streets in Ghana's eastern port city of Tema to celebrate the country's qualification for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar this year. After a goalless first leg at home, Ghana held Nigeria to a 1-1 draw in the second leg of the FIFA World Cup playoff in Abuja on Tuesday night, qualifying for the tournament on away goals.

Fans expressed their joy over the hard work put in by the Black Stars to triumph over rivals Nigeria and take one of five tickets to represent Africa at the World Cup, Xinhua reports.

"I have not been impressed with the Black Stars in recent times, but they have been outstanding today. I am extremely happy we are going to the World Cup once more," said Eric Tordzro, a physical education instructor.

Fellow fan Henry Eshun urged the technical team to prepare the Black Stars well before the World Cup.

"Going into this game, the Black Stars were the underdogs. I will urge the technical team to work hard so Ghana can improve on our World Cup record," he said.

In the streets, pubs, and restaurants of Tema and its environs, many were seen in celebratory mood, with cars blaring horns.

Ghana have appeared at three previous editions of the FIFA World Cup, doing so in 2006, 2010 and 2014.

Ghana's president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo also congratulated the country's national team for qualifying for the World Cup.

"Warm congratulations to the senior national football team, the Black Stars, for their dogged display in Abuja, and qualifying for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. I am very proud of the team's exploits. They have made the entire nation proud," Nana Akufo-Addo tweeted late Tuesday.