Christopher Sededzi Kwame Writes: Black Stars Tumble as Coaching Conundrum Casts Shadows on Ghana’s Football Horizon
The lingering disappointment among Ghanaians persists, as the burning hearts and anger following the game show no signs of subsiding. The Hearts of Ghanaians are likely to remain shattered if they continue to wholeheartedly support the Black Stars.
At the Stade Félix Houphouet-Boigny in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire, the Black Stars of Ghana suffered a 1-2 defeat in a dramatic encounter against Cape Verde in their opening match of the TotalEnergies African Cup of Nations, 34th Edition.
From the outset, my focus has been on the technical abilities of coach Chris Hughton. He appears not to be the guiding force for the Black Stars, as there has been minimal improvement in the team’s performance since his appointment.
This was evident once again when the Black Stars faced a disastrous loss against the Blue Sharks. Cape Verde, with a superior game plan, started strongly, attempting to break through the lines and score early, while the Black Stars struggled to regain possession.
The Black Stars not only faced domination but were tactically outplayed by Cape Verde, leading to conceding the first goal. Baba Iddrissu’s weakness hindered his pursuit of the ball, and all defenders were caught ball-watching, allowing Cape Verde to capitalize. Richmond Ofori’s poor attempt to save the shot provided Garry Rodriguez an opportunity to punish the Black Stars.
The defensive lapses have been consistent under Chris Hughton’s management, with no apparent efforts to address and improve the situation. If Richard Ofori can’t swiftly handle a ball or recover from a punch, he seems unfit for AFCON.
The first half exposed Ghana’s vulnerabilities, a recurring theme in recent matches for the Black Stars. However, after the break, there was a slight improvement in the team’s performance, attributed to adjustments in response to Cape Verde’s game plan.
Despite two contentious penalties denied to Ghana, the Black Stars persevered and secured an equalizer with a powerful strike from Majid Ashimeru. However, VAR ruled out the goal due to interference by Yeboah, blocking Cape Verde’s goalkeeper, Vozinha. The Black Stars rallied and equalized through Alexander Dziku, but defensive vulnerabilities led to conceding another goal.
Overall, the Black Stars fell short of expectations, managing only one shot on goal, justifying their defeat.
Returning to Chris Hughton, his tactical shortcomings are evident, and playing Ransford Königsdörffer as a No. 10 proved to be a misguided decision. The lack of creativity and exposure of Ransford-Yeboah reflects poorly on Hughton’s coaching decisions.
Baba Iddrissu’s consistent poor performance in the midfield raises questions about coaching decisions regarding player roles. The team’s attitude, determination, and seriousness are questionable, contributing to subpar results. Few players, including Alexander Dziku, Joseph Painstil, and Majid Ashimeru, showed commendable efforts amid the overall dismal team performance.
At this point, Ghanaians should temper their expectations for the Black Stars, as the coaching inadequacies may hinder the team’s fortunes. In the face of upcoming challenges, particularly against the Pharaohs of Egypt, I wish the Black Stars the best in their football endeavors.
Christopher Sededzi Kwame
