Black Stars management committee member, Alhaji Grusah, has stepped forward to support coach Chris Hughton after the team’s failure to beat Madagascar on Sunday.
Black Stars needed a victory in Antananarivo to secure qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast next year. However, their lacklustre performance resulted in a goalless stalemate against the bottom-placed team in Group E.
Criticism has been directed at the team’s uninspiring display, as they managed just two shots on target, with Thomas Partey’s well-struck long-range free kick being one of them. The attack lacked potency, with Jordan Ayew, Kamaldeen Sulemana, and Joseph Paintsil falling short of expectations.
Expressing his disappointment, Alhaji Grusah suggested that Hughton may have underestimated the strength of the Madagascar team.
“It’s unfortunate we couldn’t win against Madagascar,” Alhaji stated during an interview with Akoma FM. “Maybe the coach underrated them, but I can’t say for sure. But that’s football, and anything is possible.”
Sunday’s game marked Hughton’s third match in charge, and he has only managed one win, which came against Angola in Kumasi thanks to a last-minute strike from Antoine Semenyo. The remaining away games ended in disappointing draws.
These results have led to criticisms for the former Brighton manager, who previously served as the technical advisor to the Black Stars while Otto Addo was the head coach.
Addressing concerns about Hughton’s performance, Grusah defended the London-born tactician saying, “If you evaluate a coach who wins one and draws two out of the matches played, you would definitely say he [Chris Hughton] is performing well.”
Black Stars must avoid defeat in their final game against the Central African Republic in September to qualify, as they remain top of Group E, one point ahead of second-placed Angola and two ahead of their next opponents.
