Ghanaian midfielder Mohammed Kudus expressed his belief that the Black Stars deserved a better outcome in their match against Egypt at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Despite Kudus’s efforts, Ghana twice relinquished their lead, ultimately settling for a 2-2 draw against the Pharaohs.
Kudus, making his AFCON debut and playing for West Ham United, scored the opening goal for Ghana in the first half. However, a misjudged back pass from Inaki Williams led to Omar Marmoush intercepting the ball, rounding goalkeeper Richard Ofori, and slotting it into an empty net, leveling the score.
In the 71st minute, Kudus once again restored the lead for Ghana, showcasing his individual brilliance. Unfortunately, the celebrations were short-lived as Osman Bukari, who had replaced Williams, was dispossessed, allowing Mostafa Mohamed to draw the North Africans level and deny the Black Stars a victory.
After the game, Kudus, who was also named the Man of the Match, expressed his frustration over Ghana’s inability to secure all three points, indicating a sense of disappointment for not achieving a more favorable result.
“We got a point today,” said the 23-year-old. “I felt we deserved more because the goals [Egypt] scored were from some silly mistakes from us which we need to learn from.”
Following the 2-2 draw against Egypt, Ghana has accumulated one point from two games in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament. Their opening fixture resulted in a loss to Cape Verde.
Looking ahead, Chris Hughton’s team is set to face Mozambique in their final Group B game on Monday, January 22. Despite the challenges faced in the initial group stage matches, Ghana remains hopeful of securing a victory in the upcoming game, aiming to advance to the knockout stages of the tournament. The outcome of the match against Mozambique will play a crucial role in determining Ghana’s fate in the 2023 AFCON competition.