Posted by Ghana defeated Angola 1-0 in the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi on Thursday evening.
Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo came from the bench to score the only goal of the game with what was the last kick of the game.
Below are the five things your favorite sports
portal, MahamaShaibu.com observed on the
part of Ghana from the game:
1. First game, first win for Chris Hughton but a lot of work to do
Chris Hughton recorded his first win in his first game as Head Coach of the Black Stars, a result which lifts a bit of pressure on his shoulders. However, Hughton is aware there’s so much work for him to do on the team. Ghana failed to control the game like they were expected to, passing the ball around slowly and making poor decisions in the final third. Chris Hughton will have to improve the aforementioned and many other aspects of his team’s play if he wants to succeed.
2. Kumasi is the home of Ghana Football
Once again, Kumasi proved why the city is dubbed the Cathedral of Ghana Football. Despite recent bad experiences Ghanaians have with the Black Stars, the Baba Yara stadium which has a capacity of 40,000 was full and painted with the red, yellow and green colors of Ghana. The fans were on top of their voices from the blast of the first whistle, an act which was rewarded with a late goal.
3. The Baba Yara pitch needs improvement
Indeed Ghana won the game but the team failed to control the game like they were expected to, which is in regards to the array of talents in the team. The situation could be attributed to numerous factors including the nature of the pitch. The grass looked green to the eyes but were lengthy, making it difficult for the players to pass the ball around like they would want to.
4. Thomas Partey is world class
Thomas Partey demonstrated why he’s in the conversation of the best defensive midfielders in the World currently. The Arsenal midfielder bossed the game and was named man of the match. Partey had the most touches (91), completed the most passes (69) and created the most chances in the game (3). He as well won 8 of the 10 duels he contested and completed all the dribbles he attempted (3/3).
Thomas Partey 🇬🇭 Vs Angola 🇦🇴
— Zongo Obama (@ShaibuArshavin1) March 24, 2023
• Most touches (91)
• Most passes completed (69)
• Most tackles attempted (4)
• Most chances created (3)
• Most big chances created (1)
• Most passes in the final third (12)
• 2nd most successful dribbles (3)
• 2nd most duels won (8/10) pic.twitter.com/h7GCC0zCcP
5. Inaki Williams needs support
Once again, Inaki Williams failed to impress in the colors of Ghana. The Athletic Bilbao forward made some decent runs but was hardly spotted by any of his teammates. In the few times Inaki had services, he looked jittery and didn’t look like the half the player we’ve seen in the Spanish La Liga in recent years. Inaki will take time to settle in his new environment but he will need every support to do that.