Four-time champions Ghana ended a 37-month winless run in Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers by beating minnows Somalia 2-0 in Essipong on Thursday. 

Turkey-based Felix Afena-Gyan doubled the lead on 62 minutes to seal a first victory in Group C for Ghana after losses to the Ivory Coast and the Gambia two months ago. 

Somalia have ceded home advantage to Ghana when they meet again on Monday, offering the Black Stars a good chance of securing another win as they seek a top-two finish and qualification.

Assuming they complete a double over the Somalis, Ghana will then host Ivory Coast and visit Gambia in the final two matchdays next March.  

While victory was a huge relief for Ghana and acting coach Kim Lars Bjorkegren, who was seconded from the women's national team, the performance left much to be desired.

Both goals stemmed from defensive shortcomings by Somalia, who are ranked 200th in the world, 130 places below Ghana.

A Somali aerial weakness was exposed for the first goal with Adjetey given time and space to nod a headed pass into the net after a corner.

Goalkeeper Ibrahim Hussein, who saved a weakly struck early penalty from veteran Ghana captain Jordan Ayew, was to blame for the second goal. 

The 20-year-old allowed a shot from Afena-Gyan that lacked power to slip under his body and trickle into the net.

Meanwhile, Equatorial Guinea were without regular goalkeeper Jesus Owono when they dominated Zimbabwe in a 0-0 Group E draw in Yaounde.

Owono has not decided whether to continue playing football after his collision with Jesus de Miguel in a Spanish second division match this month led to the death of the forward.

Marcos Ondo replaced Owono, who has been capped 47 times by the central African country, and was barely troubled as Zimbabwe concentrated on defending. 

The match was staged in Cameroon because Equatorial Guinea lack an international-standard stadium, 11 years after having four CAF-approved venues when hosting the 2015 AFCON.