Ghana’s Africa Cup of Nations hopes took another heavy blow as the Black Stars threw away a two-goal lead and lost 4-2 to The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium.
The defeat was painful because Ghana looked firmly in control after goals from Ernest Nuamah and Felix Afena-Gyan. But The Gambia turned the game around with two goals before the break and two more after half-time.
The mood inside the stadium changed quickly. Early confidence gave way to frustration as the home side struggled to deal with The Gambia’s response and lost control of a match they had started so well.
For Carlos Queiroz, there was no attempt to hide from the criticism. The Portuguese coach accepted responsibility for the result and apologised to the supporters who watched Ghana suffer another damaging night on home soil.
“There is not much to say today after the terrible result for us. I, the staff, all the players, we are deeply sad with the result. And we have to say sorry to our fans, to our supporters, for what happened in the stadium,” Queiroz said.
He also asked fans to keep their anger away from the players and direct their criticism towards him.
“If there is one person who takes the responsibility for the result, it’s me. If you want to blame and criticise, which is correct, you can question me as a coach. Please keep supporting your players,” he added.
The result also placed Queiroz under growing pressure. Calls for his departure became louder after Ghana suffered a 2-0 defeat to Cote d’Ivoire in their opening Group C qualifier.
Queiroz, however, does not believe his international record has been damaged by the defeat. “I’m still the coach with the record for most wins in international football. This result doesn’t make me a loser,” he said.
He also rejected the idea that his resignation alone would solve Ghana’s wider football problems. “If you believe that if the coach resigns, you can change the situation of football in Ghana, I will be the first one to resign,” Queiroz said.
Ghana now face a difficult road back to the AFCON. After missing the previous tournament in Morocco, the Black Stars must find answers quickly or risk another painful absence from Africa’s biggest football stage.
