On Monday night at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Ghana’s Black Stars will play their crucial match against Mozambique in an attempt to recover from their dismal 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) opening round.
In their first game, the team was defeated 3-0 by Cape Verde, and in their second, they were drawn 2-2 with Egypt.
But 1978 AFCON champion Willie Klutse thinks the team can turn things around and mount a serious challenge. Klutse paid the team a visit on Saturday to provide words of wisdom and inspiration. Other former AFCON champions who also attended included Rev. Osei Kofi, James Kuuku Dadzie, and Kofi Pare.
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“We let them know that all is not lost,” Klutse remarked. We told them that Argentina lost their opening match at the last World Cup in Qatar, but they still managed to win the cup, so it’s feasible. The main idea is that they should concentrate and make a goal for both themselves and the country, as everyone is looking up to them and knows they can succeed.
Klutse claims that the Black Stars’ primary issue has been a lack of concentration, especially in the team’s second match against Egypt. He clarified, saying, “In the first game, they relaxed because they thought the game was over and lost focus.”
In the second game, they made an attempt to work, but nothing changed. When they went ahead, they lost focus again, they had to work hard and come back and then they lost their focus again.”
When you are playing football and occasionally glance at the scoreboard, it can sometimes trick you. Although the game isn’t finished until it is, some players believe it is once they glance at the scoreboard.
Again, they became distracted and committed these grave errors. They seem to have learned their lessons, and I’m confident they’ll do well and advance to the next phase.
Ghana has been struggling, but a victory over Mozambique might yet get them into the round of 16, either as one of the top three teams or as runners-up if Egypt loses to Cape Verde in the other game. In order to advance in the competition, the Black Stars will need to play well and not make any more mistakes.
