Chris Hughton: Angola can cause an upset against Ghana

Ghana coach, Chris Hughton has said Angola can cause a problem for the Black Stars in today’s encounter.

Ghana will host Angola in first leg of the 2023 AFCON qualifiers at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi on Thursday evening before the reverse fixture in Luanda on March 27, 2023.

Even though Ghana has been touted favorite to win the crucial encounter this evening, Chris Hughton believes Angola have a strong squad capable of causing a mayhem at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi.

“I look at my involvement in the team, the squad and association was before I was made head coach so I was aware of course as soon the campaign started and the draw was made that we will play against Angola.  So yes, as each coach will do, I have studied them in their last five, six, seven games. They are technically a very good team and obviously with Portuguese influence and a lot of good technical players so I am in no doubt that they are strong and tough opposition so we have to plan for that as we will do for any opposition”, Hughton told Ghana FA.

He added; “But certainly they have the capabilities and very much aware that they can cause us a lot of problem and we have to be prepared for that.”

On goalkeeping deficiency and readiness for the game, Chris Hughton said, “our goalkeepers can only be as prepared as anybody else just as the outfield players. You are right in some aspects, the game has changed; goalkeepers are expected to play a bigger part with their feet than may be they used to in the past where goalkeepers tend to kick longer balls, now they are expected to almost, at times be the third central defender. So yes, there are expectations on our goalkeepers but always the most important part of what a goalkeeper has to do is to try not to concede goals, to try to make good saves and try to dominate his penalty area so they are the things that will never change.”

Meanwhile, goalkeeper Jojo Wollacott who couldn’t last the entire duration of the training sessions last Tuesday after a minor injury has returned to training and will be available for selection this evening.

Ghana is a joint top of the Group E table with 4 points from two games following a 3-0 win over Madagascar and a 1-1 draw with Central African Republic in June last year.


Source KYFilla