Coach Chris Hughton provided an explanation for his decision to exclude Arsenal star Thomas Partey from Ghana’s draw with Angola in the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
Although Ghana managed a 1-1 draw against Angola on Monday (March 27), many were puzzled as to why Partey was left out of the game, given that he had played in the first leg that Ghana won 1-0 against Angola on March 23rd at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi, Ghana.
During a press conference after the match, Coach Hughton revealed that Partey had a minor injury issue, and he felt it was too risky to play him.
Hughton said; “Thomas has some small issues, a small injury issue and we felt it was too big of a risk to start him,”
He explained that defensively, Ghana needed to be solid as Angola had some very good technical players, particularly in the attacking areas.
The team had to utilize the spaces and attack quickly, and once Angola scored a penalty, it provided a boost for Ghana to get back into the game.
Coach Hughton praised the team’s fighting spirit and was satisfied with the four points they had collected from the two games.
Aside from Partey, Several other players, including Denis Odoi, Salisu Mohammed, Andre Ayew, and Alexander Djiku, missed the game due to various injuries, and their replacements included Kingsley Schindler and Joseph Aidoo.
Ghana’s 1-1 draw against Angola on Monday now allows the team to maintain their lead in Group E’s standings in the 2023 AFCON Qualifiers with 4 points.
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