Ghana's Black Stars suffered a shocking defeat on Tuesday, with coach Carlos Queiroz attributing the loss to two soft goals conceded just before half-time. The team was in control at the Accra Sports Stadium, leading 2-0 through Ernest Nuamah's penalty and Felix Afena-Gyan's low drive. However, the Scorpions pulled one back from the spot and snatched an equaliser before the break, leaving the home side stunned.
Queiroz expressed his disappointment with the team's performance, stating that the two goals conceded easily turned the game around. "This was one of those days when everything went wrong for our team, especially in the first half after we were leading 2-0," he said. The Portuguese trainer believes that if his team had not conceded those goals, they would have gone on to secure an easy win in the second half.
The coach defended his midfield choices and his decision not to start some of the new faces, insisting that he has never been afraid to give opportunities to youngsters. "Never in my life am I afraid to start a new player," he stressed. Queiroz added that giving opportunities to players at 17 and 18 years old has always been his benchmark.
Queiroz reserved special praise for substitutes Ibrahim Sulemana and Augustine Boakye, who lifted the team after coming on. "I think Ibrahim came very well into the game, he had a good performance in the second half," he noted. Boakye, who earned his first Black Stars call-up under Queiroz for the World Cup, was also commended for his performance.
The coach explained that with several players short of game time, including Kojo Oppong Peprah, Kwasi Sibo, and Sulemana, he had to manage the squad carefully. This was especially after starting the game with only two fit centre-backs. "We have the best players available to play this game," Queiroz said. "When some of our players are not on fresh legs, we have to make decisions to have solutions."
Queiroz believes that the two easy goals conceded killed the team's morale and made his players nervous. "At the moment, we should have gone for an easy result in the second half, but those two goals in the first half killed the morale and made my players nervous," he said. This, according to Queiroz, was one of the reasons the team was unable to perform well in the second half.
The Black Stars' shocking defeat serves as a wake-up call for the team, with Queiroz emphasizing the need for improvement. The coach will look to regroup and reassess his team's strategy ahead of their next match. Key players, including Sulemana and Boakye, will likely play a crucial role in the team's future performances.
Key points
- Carlos Queiroz blames two soft goals conceded before half-time for Black Stars' shocking defeat.
- The coach defended his midfield choices and decision to give opportunities to youngsters.
- Queiroz praised substitutes Ibrahim Sulemana and Augustine Boakye for their performances.
