[ad_1]
Black Stars boss reflects on Thursday’s win over North Africans on Cape Coast
Ghana’s coach CK Akonnor admitted his team was not at its best despite securing a 2-0 win over Sudan in the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers on Thursday.
Swansea City forward Andre Ayew scored one goal at every half to ensure his team scored all three points in Week 3’s Group C match at Cape Coast.
The victory has put leading Ghana on the verge of registering its 23rd participation in the continental competition.
“It was not the best performance, but I am very happy with what we have produced today,” Akonnor said after the game, as reported by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) on Twitter.
Goal 50 Revealed – World’s Top 50 Players
“We kept a clean sheet and that’s the most important thing. We are expecting some players tonight who will join us for the second leg in Sudan.”
“I feel good, I am grateful to the players for showing a lot of commitment. Preparation was a difficult situation but in the end we won and it feels good.
“Like yesterday, we had a full house. Gathering the players was not easy. As we said earlier, Covid-19 has made things extremely difficult, but victory answers all questions.
“There are a number of positives to choose from about the game. A player like [Asante Kotoko’s Christoper] Nettey played [for Ghana] for the first time and did well. All it takes is another chance. “
🎙 | CK Akonnor.
“It was not the best performance, but I am very happy with what we have produced today. We kept a clean sheet and that’s the most important thing. We are expecting some players tonight who will join us for the second leg in Sudan. “
🇬🇭2-0🇸🇩
– Ghana Football Association (@ghanafaofficial) November 12, 2020
🎙 | CK Akonnor, Black Stars coach:
Like yesterday, we have a full house. Gathering the players was not easy. As we said before, Covid has made things extremely difficult, but the victory answers all the questions. “
🇬🇭2-0🇸🇩 #Black stars # AFCON2021Q #BringBackTheLove
– Ghana Football Association (@ghanafaofficial) November 12, 2020
Ayew opened the scoring in the 19th minute and scored a free kick.
Nine minutes before full time, the 30-year-old roared once more, this time driving into the box from the right, outscoring two men and firing a sweet shot that passed goalkeeper Ali Abdullah Abu-Eshrein.
It could have been a goal hat-trick for the captain if Senegalese referee Maguette N’Diaye had not canceled a header in injury time in the first half for a perceived foul on the Sudanese stopper.
The match was Akonnor’s first competitive game hosted by the Black Stars since he replaced James Kwasi Appiah in January.
Last month, he oversaw his opening matches in what ended in a 3-0 loss to Mali and a 5-1 win over the Asian champions and 2022 World Cup host Qatar in friendly matches.
The coach’s next assignment comes on Tuesday when Ghana take on Sudan in the fourth week of qualifying.
[ad_2]
