AFCON 2023: Jordan Ayew attributes Ghana's Cape Verde defeat to inexperience

In a candid post-game interview, Black Stars forward Jordan Ayew attributed Ghana's 1-2 loss to Cape Verde in the opening match of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to the team's lack of experience.

Speaking after the match in Cote D'Ivoire, Ayew acknowledged the youthful nature of the squad and highlighted the impact of inexperience on their performance. 

Despite drawing level with a goal from Alexander Djiku, who connected with Ayew's cross in the 56th minute, Ghana was unable to secure a victory after Jamiro Monteiro's 17th-minute opener for Cape Verde.

Black Stars head coach Chris Hughton, addressing the media, expressed that conceding the early goal had a profound effect on the team, stating that it "rocked" his players. The defensive lapse in the 92nd minute allowed Garry Rodrigues to secure the winning goal for Cape Verde.

Ayew, reflecting on the match, acknowledged the learning curve the team faces due to the significant number of players participating in their first AFCON. 

He emphasized the need for quick adaptation, stating, "We lack a lot of experience… at the end of the day if you look at the squad that we have, more than 10 (players), this is their first AFCON so this type of mistakes will happen, and we need to learn and we need to learn quick because the AFCON is not waiting for anyone…we need to stand up and face the reality."

Looking ahead, Ghana faces a crucial encounter against Egypt on Thursday, January 18. 

Egypt, having drawn 2-2 with Mozambique, poses another challenging test for the Black Stars, who are determined to bounce back and make their mark in the AFCON 2023 tournament.