The head coach of the Black Stars, Chris Hughton, has responded to Ghana’s grouping in Group B of the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON), where they are placed alongside the record-winning team, Egypt, as well as Mozambique and Cape Verde.
During an interview with the Ghana Football Association press team, Chris Hughton characterised Egypt as a highly experienced team.
“When the group was going to be announced, the fact that we were going to be in the second group of seeds, it was as if mostly thinking which team was going to be in the top of the groups and of course, as soon as Egypt came out the first, thoughts are of course, they are a very experienced side. Very experienced AFCON campaigners.
“I think they have more AFCON wins than any other country. I think so; they are experienced so for sure it’s a very tough opposition,” he stated.
Regarding the other two opponents in the group, the coach acknowledged having limited knowledge about these teams but assured that a thorough assessment of their strengths would be conducted in preparation for the tournament.
Ghana’s performance in the last AFCON was notably the country’s worst in the history of the tournament.
When asked if this previous performance adds pressure to his role as a coach, Chris Hughton responded in the negative, emphasising that the team’s focus is on performing to the best of their abilities to advance from the group stage.
He also discussed Ghana’s upcoming friendly matches with the United States of America and Mexico. The Black Stars are currently in the United States, where they will compete against Mexico and the US on Sunday, October 15, and Wednesday, October 18, respectively.
The 34th edition of AFCON is scheduled to take place from January 13 to February 11, 2024. This marks the second time Ivory Coast has hosted the finals, with their previous hosting occurring in 1984.