Sports
AFCON 2027 Qualifiers: Black Stars will respond against The Gambia – Daniel Gasper
Black Stars goalkeeper trainer Daniel Gasper has expressed his disappointment following Ghana's 2-0 defeat by Ivory Coast in their opening match of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign.
Ghana began their Group C campaign against the reigning African champions at the Stade de la Paix in Bouaké last Thursday, but were unable to secure a positive result.
Ivory Coast took the lead shortly before half-time when Malick Yalcouyé marked his international debut with a stunning strike from outside the penalty area.
The midfielder found space on the edge of the box before unleashing an effort that gave Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi little chance, sending the hosts into the break with a 1-0 advantage.
The Black Stars struggled to find a way back into the contest after the interval and their task became more difficult in the 58th minute when Ivory Coast were awarded a penalty.
Franck Kessié stepped up and calmly converted the spot-kick to double the hosts’ advantage.
Ghana protested the decision, with the Black Stars players arguing that there was insufficient contact after Abdul Fatawu Issahaku was adjudged to have brought down Yalcouyé inside the penalty area.
Their protests were unsuccessful, however, and Ivory Coast held on to claim all three points.
For Ghana, the defeat leaves them under pressure ahead of their second Group C fixture against The Gambia, with the Black Stars needing a positive result to get their qualifying campaign back on track.
Gasper acknowledged the disappointment of the result but insisted that Ghana must quickly turn their attention to the next challenge.
“It is not the result we wanted but it is what it is,” Gasper said.
“Ivory Coast are one of the top teams in Africa; we have to respect that [but] we are ready for the next game.”
Ghana will have home advantage when they face The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium on Tuesday, with kick-off scheduled for 16:00 GMT.
The Black Stars currently sit bottom of Group C without a point, while The Gambia go into the encounter having made a winning start to their campaign.
Ghana are aiming to return to the AFCON finals after missing the previous tournament in Morocco, ending their long-standing run of appearances at the continental competition.
Carlos Queiroz’s side will therefore be looking to respond immediately against The Gambia and begin rebuilding their qualification campaign with victory on home soil.
Source:Fiilasports/ghanasoccernet
