Chris Hughton: We’re disappointed with the result
Black Stars coach, Chris Hughton has expressed his disappointment about their inability to beat Madagascar in their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier in Antananarivo on Sunday.
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The 64-year-old said their mentality heading into the game was to win but had to settle for a draw after the 90 minutes.
Speaking in an interview with the Ghanafa.org after the game, the former Tottenham Hotspurs manager was displeased with the team’s inability to convert their dominance in possession into goals.
The Ghana gaffer also blamed the rugged pitch for their inability to score but believed that could not be too much of an excuse because both teams played on the same field.
“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.
He acknowledged that they had a difficult game and stated that teams had improved on the continent and there were no side that could be described as a cheap side on the continent again.
"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. 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 of possession, but we didn’t create enough clear chances and when you are unable to do this, it’s very difficult to win games.
