Carlos Queiroz said two easily conceded goals before half-time damaged Ghanas confidence and changed the course of their game against The Gambia.
The Black Stars had appeared firmly in control at the Accra Sports Stadium on Tuesday after taking a 2-0 lead. Ernest Nuamah converted a penalty before Felix Afena-Gyan doubled the advantage with a low finish, and Ghana looked capable of securing a convincing victory.
However, The Gambia reduced the deficit from the spot and then scored again before the interval. The two goals left the home side unsettled after what had been a dominant opening period.
This was one of those days when everything went wrong for our team. Especially in the first half after we were leading 2-0, Queiroz said.
We conceded two goals very easily, and those two goals turned the story of the game around.
At the moment we should have gone for an easy result in the second half, those two goals in the first half killed the morale and made my players nervous. That was one of the reasons we were not able to perform well in the second half.
The Portugal coach also defended his decisions in midfield and rejected suggestions that he had been unwilling to start inexperienced players.
Never in my life am I afraid to start a new player. Giving opportunities to players at 17, 18 years old has always been my benchmark, he said.
Queiroz praised the impact of Ibrahim Sulemana and Augustine Boakye, who were introduced from the bench and helped Ghana regain some forward momentum after the break.
I think Ibrahim came very well into the game, he had a good performance in the second half. He brought the team forward. I think Augustine brought the team forward as well, he said.
Boakye received his first national-team call-up under Queiroz for the World Cup, a decision that the coach said had surprised people at the time. His performance against The Gambia, however, showed why he deserved his place in the squad.
I called him for the first time to the national team for the World Cup. Everybody was surprised by that. Now you saw during the game, step by step, that he is a player who deserves to be here, Queiroz added.
The coach said he also had to manage his squad because several players, including Kojo Oppong Peprah, Kwasi Sibo and Ibrahim Sulemana, lacked match minutes. Ghana had begun the game with only two fit centre-backs.
We have the best players available to play this game. When some of our players are not on fresh legs, we have to make decisions to have solutions, Queiroz said.
