Coach Chris Hughton has issued a heartfelt apology to Ghanaians following the Black Stars’ heart-wrenching 2-1 loss to Cape Verde in their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2023 debut on Sunday.
Expressing deep frustration in a post-match conference, Hughton acknowledged, “We are incredibly disappointed with the result. We came into the game with a clear strategy to dominate from the start.”
Despite efforts to rally, the Black Stars found themselves outplayed for most of the match, leaving them in a precarious position. Their inability to secure a victory in the opening game for the third consecutive time now demands a triumph against Egypt to salvage their tournament aspirations.
The team’s challenges escalated when they conceded a goal within the first 17 minutes, allowing Jamiro Monteiro to capitalize on a rebound after Richard Ofori parried a long shot. Although Majeed Ashimeru’s long shot was disallowed just before halftime, the Black Stars managed to level the score with an Alexander Djiku header off a corner kick. However, defensive lapses resulted in Cape Verde securing a late winner through Garry Rodrigues.
As they gear up to face Egypt on Thursday, the Black Stars confront the looming threat of early elimination, mirroring their disappointing AFCON performance in the past. The pressure is on as they strive to keep their tournament hopes alive.
