Andre Ayew Did not Take Part against Angola in Kumasi : The name of Andre Ayew did not appear on the official team sheet posted of the Black Stars against Angola in Thursday’s 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Kumasi but the former Marseille attacker was on the Ghana bench.
If it was a graphical mistake , why was the correct team sheet not reposted since there was more than enough time to do so ?
Ghana won the Match-Day Three qualifying match by 1-0 thanks to a 94th minute winner by substitute Antoine Semenyo who smashed home the only goal of the game after Angola failed to deal with a Kudus Mohammed free-kick.
The Ghana captain , spotted on the bench , did take part in the entire match.
When Hughton decided to make changes to his team in search of a goal , Antoine Semenyo , Joseph Paintsil , Osman Bukari and Salis Abdul Samed were the ones the former Brighton and Holve Albion manager relied on.
Was Andre still not good enough for a substitute appearance or he wore his soccer boots and jerseys to decorate the bench for a different reason?
“As a head coach, you have to make difficult decisions. You know the quality that Andre possesses, but you also know the quality of the rest of the squad,” Hughton said after the match.
“Ultimately, it was my choice not to play him, but that doesn’t reflect on his abilities as a player. He remains a valuable member of the team.”
Indeed that was a big decision by the Ghana boss and it is big warning to the rest of the team that no one has a guaranteed starting place in the Black Stars.
The 33-year old Ayew has 24 goals in 113 matches for the Ghana national team.
The former Marseille playmaker is currently on a short-term deal at Premier League side Nottingham Forest but it is obvious that he is not at his usual best these days.
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