Mohammed Kudus has expressed deep disappointment as Ghana’s quest to secure a spot in the round of 16 at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) hit a snag.
The team faced a major setback, squandering a two-goal lead in the final minutes of their critical match against Mozambique.
Despite Jordan Ayew’s successful conversion of two penalties, Ghana couldn’t maintain their advantage, conceding two goals in quick succession to draw 2-2 and bow out of the tournament at the group stage for the second consecutive time.
In a post-match reflection, Kudus shared his sentiments, stating, “We wanted to qualify but we couldn’t. It’s a big failure. It’s a big failure on our part and I feel disappointed.”
The disappointment stemmed from a dramatic sequence of events that saw Andre Ayew concede a penalty, which Mozambique duly converted, and goalkeeper Richard Ofori making a costly error leading to an equalising goal from a corner kick.
Kudus emphasised the need for the team to address and rectify the mistakes that proved costly, stating, “We need to keep the focus and correct the silly mistakes going forward. Conceding two goals within four minutes is unacceptable.”
Ghana’s attempt to secure the second-place position in Group B and avoid third-place drama fell short, leaving them with only a slim chance of progression.
Now, Ghana must depend on other match results, hoping that Zambia, Algeria, and Cameroon lose their final matches to boost their standing in the third-place rankings. Failure to progress will mark a second consecutive early exit for Ghana in AFCON tournaments, following their 2021 disappointment against Comoros.
Despite the setback, Egypt advanced to the next round without winning a single match, securing three draws. Kudus, who played a pivotal role with two goals in Ghana’s draw against Egypt and won the second penalty against Mozambique, finds himself grappling with the frustration of seeing his efforts almost in vain.