Audio By Carbonatix
Black Stars head coach Chris Hughton says he was disappointed with his team for failing to score a goal against Madagascar in their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier.
Ghana faced Madagascar at Antananarivo in their penultimate game of the qualifiers on Sunday, June 18, knowing that a win would see them secure early qualification to the AFCON to be staged in Ivory Coast.
However, the Black Stars played out a frustrating stalemate against the Barea with no goals recorded while the team also failed to create clear-cut chances.
READ ALSO: 2023 AFCONQ: Black Stars fail to shine against Madagascar in frustrating draw
Speaking after the draw, Hughton, whose frustration was seen in the course of the game, didn't hide his dissatisfaction with the results.
"Yes, we are very disappointed. We came with an attitude and mindset to win but to win a football match you need to score goals," the 64-year-old said.
"We found it difficult today. The pitch is difficult, it’s an uneven pitch but it’s the same for both teams and we needed to be forceful in the key areas to create more opportunities to score so the fact that we didn’t score is the most disappointing thing."
Madagascar may be out of the race for an AFCON slot but the draw felt like a win for them as their fans cheered them on throughout the entire game.
Hughton adds that the support from the crowd made the game difficult for his team.
"The game was tough, just as in every game, there’s no easy game on the continent. We had a lot of possession even in the first half but to change the momentum of the game, you needed to score. Because the longer the game goes when you don’t score, you give Madagascar the encouragement," he added.
"They are playing in front of the home supporters who were cheering them on and they were growing in confidence so at any stage we needed to score to change the feeling of the game. We had a lot possession but we didn’t create enough clear chances and when you are unable to do this, it’s very difficult to win games."
The Black Stars will need a draw against Central Africa Republic in their last game in September if they are to make the trip to Ivory Coast as they only command a one-point in Group E.
Latest Stories
-
I have supported highway authority financially to fix roads in my constituency – A Plus
47 minutes -
US, Iran fail to reach peace agreement after marathon talks in Pakistan
1 hour -
ECG kicks off Phase Two of transformer upgrades at Lashibi; brief outages expected
2 hours -
Port crises loom as 11,000 drivers threaten four-day strike
3 hours -
A source of excellence across generations – Vice President Opoku-Agyemang lauds Mfantsipim
3 hours -
(Photos) Mfantsipim School launches historic 150th anniversary
4 hours -
Knights and Ladies of Marshall group backs Catholic Bishops’ stance on anti-LGBTQ+
5 hours -
Bright Simons writes: All the Filla in the Ibrahim Mahama/E&P – Gold Fields Saga
5 hours -
Monetise Idiocy In Ghana
5 hours -
The Ghanaian prophet and the mysterious death of his scottish wife Charmain Speirs
6 hours -
Nearly 400 sentenced in Nigeria for links to militant Islamists
6 hours -
Ghana’s recovery supported by gold strength despite global oil price pressures – Standard Bank Research
7 hours -
Methodist Church hails Mfantsipim@150; calls for “fresh consecration” to excellence
7 hours -
‘Excellence is our inheritance’ – Nana Sam Brew-Butler hails Mfantsipim’s 150-year reign in leadership
7 hours -
Kwaku Azar writes: A-G vs OSP
7 hours