‘We Lacked Concentration’

Jordan Ayew

 

Black Stars striker Jordan Ayew has expressed his frustration following Ghana’s loss to Cape Verde in their first match of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

He acknowledged that the team had the game within their grasp, but poor concentration and lax defending ultimately cost them the win.

“We always lack concentration at key moments and they [Cape Verde] scored sloppy goals,” Ayew lamented. “As a team, we need to bounce back quickly. We can’t keep saying it’s a young team; we’ve been together for two years now.”

Ayew emphasised the importance of maintaining a positive attitude, despite the setback. “We have two more games left, and we must stay positive. We’ll take it one game at a time and see how it goes,” he said.

The defeat marks Ghana’s third consecutive Africa Cup of Nations tournament without a win in their opening match. They now face an uphill battle, needing a victory against Egypt to revitalise their campaign. The Pharaohs are seven-time champions and will pose a significant challenge for the Black Stars.