Ghanaian striker Joel Kojo, after switching his nationality, made his debut for the Kyrgyzstan national team on Friday.

However, his first appearance for his new nation ended in disappointment as Kyrgyzstan suffered a resounding 5-1 defeat against Iran in the Asia CAFA Nations Cup.

Kojo made the decision to leave Ghana, as he believed he would never receive an invitation to represent his home country.

Instead, he completed the switch to Kyrgyzstan, hoping to pursue an international career there.

In the match against Iran, Kojo started on the bench and was brought on in the 58th minute.

Despite his efforts, he was unable to prevent the heavy defeat his team experienced, as the damage had already been done prior to his substitution.

Prior to his national team debut, Kojo had been playing in the Kyrgyz local championship for FK Dordoi Bishkek and FK Alay Osh since 2017.

He has established himself as a top player in the country and enjoys a significant fan following.