Black Stars head coach Kim Lars Bjorkegren has praised his side’s second-half performance in their 2-0 victory over Somalia in Thursday’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, insisting that securing all three points was the priority.
Ghana secured their first win in the qualifiers through goals from Jonas Adjetey and Felix Afena-Gyan, with Bjorkegren expressing satisfaction with the team’s response after a difficult spell in the first half.
Speaking after the match at the Sekondi Sports Stadium, the Swedish coach admitted that Ghana struggled to maintain their tempo midway through the opening half, allowing Somalia more time on the ball.
However, he was particularly impressed with the team’s second-half display, during which Ghana created several scoring opportunities and could have won by a wider margin.
“In the second half, I think it's only one team on the pitch. I think it's a game that can finish 2-3-4-0, but the most important thing today was the three points, so I'm very happy with them,” he said.
Bjorkegren also expressed delight at Adjetey scoring his first international goal and praised the players for their efforts, although he felt they could have converted more of their chances, including the missed penalty.
He attributed the drop in tempo during the first half partly to the hot weather but maintained that the team could improve in their ball movement and overall intensity.
Looking ahead to Monday’s return fixture, the coach expressed confidence that Ghana could produce another strong performance, saying the team would benefit from having a better understanding of their opponents.
“I'm pretty sure we can do the same thing here in a few days again,” he said.
On his future as Black Stars coach, Bjorkegren said his immediate responsibility was to support the team and secure qualification for the 2027 AFCON, leaving decisions about his long-term position to the relevant authorities.
“My job is to be here to support Ghana, to be there for the boys, and do my absolute best to win every game and to help the boys back in this group, because I think we can go all the way and qualify for the AFCON,” he stated.
