Some section of the public have expressed their disappointment with the Black stars following their goalless draw against Madagascar in the AFCON qualifiers on Sunday, 18th June, 2023.
Ghana’s hope of early qualification for the 2024 Total Energies Africa Cup of Nations has been delayed after Madagascar held the Black Stars to a goalless draw on Sunday in the penultimate game of the qualifiers.
The Black Stars entered the game hoping to win in order to guarantee their participation in the competition but the tenacious Malagasy team fought fiercely and forced a draw with Ghana.
Univers Sports engaged some embers of the public on the Black Stars’ performance against Madagascar, most Ghanaians admitted to the poor performance but suggested that there’s more room for improvement while others think other players should be given the opportunity to prove their worth.
One Ghanaian intimated that the team’s woes are beyond the head coach.
” I think each and every time the Black Stars keep disappointing us, they keep our hopes high and then disappoint us. Look at what they did yesterday, what tactical thing did they do yesterday? I don’t think the coach is the solution to the Black Stars syndrome. I think there’s something that needs to be changed because the way these players play for their respective clubs when they end up with the Black Stars is something different, it’s so disappointing and appalling”. Bernard told Univers Sport
Another individual stated that the Black Stars are perennial underachievers
”Every time you hear of Ghana Black, you get that vim that you should support them but in the end, they don’t give us what we expect. With this match, I thought it was a cool 3 points but then what they were displaying on the pitch was so much appalling, we were expecting more than what they did there. At the moment, you know everything in the country now is politics and it’s football that we get our joy from so if this same football is giving us broken heart, where should we pass again?” Douglas said
”Our coaching ability is poor and you see for the team to progress its starts from the captain. Sometimes if the players are not that good the captain can create something for the team to rely on. The game was very boring, there was no coordinated fashion in their play.” Ishmael opined to Univers Sports
Madagascar is officially out of the race for an AFCON slot, after recording only 2 points in 5 games. The draw also means Ghana will require an all-important point against the Central Africa Republic to earn qualification for the AFCON scheduled for Cote d’Ivoire next year. The Black Stars still occupy the top spot in Group E with 9 points, followed closely by Angola with 8 points, the Central Africa Republic are third with 7 points and at the bottom lies Madagascar with 2 points.
Story by Rashad Usman Sinah
