As the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) unfolds, it’s a day of reckoning for Chris Hughton and the Ghanaian national team.
Following a challenging start with a 2-1 defeat to Cape Verde in the opening game, the Black Stars find themselves in a pivotal situation, needing a victory against Mozambique to enhance their prospects of progressing to the next round.
Ghana’s journey in the tournament took a turn for the better in the second group game, displaying resilience and improvement.
The team managed to secure a 2-2 draw against the formidable seven-time champions, Egypt. This spirited performance injected renewed hope into Ghana’s campaign, demonstrating the squad’s ability to rise to the occasion on the continental stage.
Now, facing Mozambique, the Black Stars recognize the imperative need for a win to keep their AFCON aspirations alive.
The stakes are very high and failure to secure a ticket to the round 16 stage for the second successive tournament will undoubtedly have dire consequences.
The manager of the side, Chris Hughton has faced heavy criticism since his appointment in February, 2023.
His job is on the line and a win against Mozambique at the Stade Alassane Ouattarra in Ebimpe will go along way in restoring some confidence in his ability to lead the national team.
‘’We are aware of the magnitude of this game; we know that this is a game that we have to win’’ Chris Houghton admitted in his pre-match press conference.
‘’Our preparation going into the game has been the same as in the two previous games and all we can do is to prepare the team to play a very tough match as all of these games are and to make sure that we put in the level of performance that allow us to win this game’’
Chris Hughton continued by stressing on the need for the team to welcome pressure. He mentioned that pressure is associated with football.
”I think we are all aware that this is a situation that we would rather not be in and we feel certainly from the performance and the goals that we conceded that we should be in a better position but we are not so the conversation is not difficult”.
”This is a game that we have to win. The level of performance in our game against Egypt was better than our level of performance in our first game against Cape Verde so the players know what it would take to get the result. There are no easy games in this tournament and we will come up against a Mozambique team that also know that they have to win to progress so we have to be physically and mentally prepared for this and the players know this”
”I think of the pressure that you go into every tournament with; I don’t think it’s a reflection of the past. There isn’t anybody that is associated with the Black Stars that isn’t conscious of the trophies that we have won and the dominance that the team has shown in this competition in the past but this is a different year”.
”There is always pressure if you are a Black Stars head coach, there is always pressure if you are a Black Stars player, and this comes with the game.
”But we have a group of players as does every team that go into pressurized games at club level. Be it to win the League or to make sure they stay in the League or to stay in the Cup competition or to stay in the European competition so the levels of pressure on both the head coach and the player and it comes with the job and you have to accept it and you have to welcome it” he added.
