Ghana's Thomas Partey scored twice and Mohammed Kudus grabbed another as their side eased to a 3-0 win over Madagascar in a World Cup qualifier played in neutral Morocco on Monday to take a sizeable step towards a place at the tournament next year.
Ghana did not qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations finals in a surprise failure that stunned the continent, but they are well on course for a place at the 48-team World Cup to be held in the Mexico, Canada and the US.
They have 15 points from six games in Group I, five ahead of second-placed Madagascar and six more than Mali in third with four rounds to play.
The top team in each of the nine groups earns a place at the global event, while the four best runners-up enter an arduous intercontinental playoff campaign for one further berth.