Ghana head coach Chris Hughton says the Black Stars are eager to make amends when they play at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), set to kick off on Saturday, January 13, in Ivory Coast.
The Black Stars were eliminated in the group stages of the 2021 edition.
The West Africans played their last pre-AFCON friendly match against Namibia on Monday at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi. The Brave Warriors held on for a 0-0 draw against the AFCON pre-tournament favourites.
The result did not seem to bother the Irish-born gaffer, who noted that he was driven by the desire to win matches and be better.
“One thing I know is that this is a group of players that want to do well,” he said. “If you have a group of players that desperately want to do well, you never know what can happen.”
Hughton said that based on the desperation to do well, Ghana is capable of winning the 2023 AFCON.
“I certainly don’t want to be the coach of a team that doesn’t think we can have a chance of winning it,” Hughton stated. “We know we have to play well and be very optimistic that we can do very well.”
The Black Stars have managed just one win under Hughton, having lost to Mexico, the USA, and Comoros with a draw against Namibia, while their only win was against Madagascar.
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The four-time African Champions are in Group B alongside Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, and seven-time champions Egypt.
They will open their AFCON campaign in Group B against Cape Verde on Sunday, January 14.
