By Godwill Odilu
Ghana defender Gideon Mensah expressed his disappointment after the Black Stars’ 2-1 defeat to Cape Verde in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations opener on Sunday night.
Jamiro Monteiro and Garry Rodrigues secured Cape Verde’s victory, with Monteiro opening the scoring in the 17th minute and Rodrigues netting the late winner due to comical defending.
Fenerbache defender Alexander Djiku temporarily leveled the score for the Black Stars.
Mensah, who played the entire game, conveyed his disappointment, stating, “We are disappointed. Obviously, it’s not how we wanted to start, but the good thing is, we have another game to make ourselves proud.”
Looking ahead to the crucial match against Egypt on Thursday, Ghana faces the risk of an early exit, reminiscent of the previous tournament.
Unfortunately, the disappointment extends beyond the pitch, as an attack on coach Chris Hughton occurred at the team’s hotel in Abidjan.
One Ghanaian supporter has been arrested for the assault, requiring intervention from Ghanaian diplomats to save the coach.
The unidentified assailant has been handed over to the Ivorian Police.
Conflicting reports suggest that the fan either used foul language before being removed by security, as per Muftawu Nabila Abdulai, or was formally arrested, according to journalist Saddick Adams.
This unfortunate incident adds a somber note to Hughton’s managerial tenure with Ghana, which began in 2023 after 13 years of coaching in England.
