Yet another incident that has no place in football: Ghana’s coach, Chris Hughton, was attacked by a supporter after his team’s defeat. The Black Stars stumbled in their opening match against Cape Verde this Sunday.
Similar to the three previous matches of this 34th edition, this one started intensely, with action on both sides in the first minute. The rest of the match was marked by Cape Verde’s overall dominance, rewarded with the opening goal just after the quarter-hour mark. Jovane Cabral’s shot was blocked by Richard Ofori after a right-wing pass, and Jamiro Monteiro finished into the empty net (0-1, 17th minute).
Ghana’s coach powerless against the Blue Sharks
Ghana then woke up and initiated its first shot through Ransford Königsdörffer just before the half-hour mark. Receiving a cross from the left, the Hamburg forward skewed his shot wide of Vozinha’s post (26th minute). The Black Stars intensified their efforts after the half-hour mark, with Königsdörffer hitting the post before Majeed Ashimeru scored with a powerful long-range shot. Unfortunately, the goal was disallowed after VAR consultation due to Königsdörffer obstructing the goalkeeper’s view in the build-up to the goal (35th minute).
This only delayed the inevitable because 10 minutes into the second half, Alexander Djiku headed in successfully from a corner taken from the right by Jordan Ayew (1-1, 56th minute). Ghana regained momentum and almost took the lead with a fantastic run from Antoine Semenyo on the left, followed by a cross not seized by Joseph Paintsil at the far post when the goal was wide open (60th minute).
Despite some opportunities for Ghana, the Blue Sharks were not satisfied with the result. Cabral (83rd minute) and Garry Rodrigues (90th minute) were thwarted by Ofori, who kept Chris Hughton’s team afloat. However, it didn’t last long, as in injury time, Garry Rodrigues took advantage of Gilson Benchimol’s decisive pass in a faltering Ghanaian defense to push the ball into the empty net and secure victory for Cape Verde (1-2, 90th+2 minute).
Ghana’s coach goes through a tough time
The coach of the Black Stars, Chris Hughton, has faced strong criticism due to very disappointing results since his appointment in March 2023. His situation has further complicated with this initial defeat, raising concerns about an early elimination, similar to the previous edition in 2022. The repeated poor performances of the four-time African champions under Hughton’s leadership have frustrated supporters, and one of them even crossed the line.
According to journalist Saddick Adams, a Black Stars “fan” attempted to assault the Irish coach upon the team’s return to the hotel. Several “diplomats” nearby had to intervene to allow the coach to extricate himself from this delicate situation. The disruptor is said to have been handed over to the Ivorian police and placed in custody. So far, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has not commented on this incident.
With a record of 4 defeats in 7 matches (with 2 wins and 1 draw) under his leadership, Hughton is more than ever at risk of losing his position. He will have to clearly play for his future on Thursday in the match against Egypt, in the group B showdown of this AFCON. The Pharaohs also had a difficult start, settling for a draw against Mozambique (2-2).
Leave a Reply