Soccer

Chris Hughton accosted by fan after shock Ghana defeat

Angry supporter attempted to strike Hughton at team hotel after loss to Cape Verde

Ghana's supporters react during the Africa Cup of Nations match between Ghana and Cape Verde. Photograph: Getty Images
Ghana's supporters react during the Africa Cup of Nations match between Ghana and Cape Verde. Photograph: Getty Images
Mon Jan 15 2024 - 13:20

An angry supporter attempted to strike Ghana coach Chris Hughton after their upset loss at the Africa Cup of Nations finals on Sunday and was taken away by police, team officials confirmed on Monday.

Ghana were beaten by a stoppage time goal by the Cape Verde Islands, the smallest of the 24 teams at the tournament in the Ivory Coast in one of several shock results on Sunday.

Hughton was accosted at the team hotel as Ghana returned from the match but the angry fan was intercepted by security officials. Hughton was also subjected to a volley of a verbal abuse.

It was a second successive defeat by an underrated opponent after Ghana lost in November in the World Cup qualifiers to the Comoros Islands.

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“We are incredibly, hugely disappointed with the result. We came into the game with a game plan,” Hughton said after the game. ”We changed the way of playing, the system a bit so that we could start on the front foot.

“We thought the team that were put out was certainly a more offensive team. This was our intention. I think it rocked us the (first) goal that we conceded but I thought we got back into the game.”

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Ghana were behind after 17 minutes in a match in which they were highly fancied and fielded a team full of players based at European clubs.

They equalised in the second half but were beaten by a stoppage time strike from Garry Rodrigues.

"At that stage (when Ghana equalised) it looked like we could go on and win it. We are hugely, hugely disappointed with our result," Hughton said.

"And I know, and this group of players also know, how the Ghanaian people see this game, see this tournament and our expectations going into this one."

Former Republic of Ireland international Hughton, whose father hailed from Ghana, has been coach of the team since March, having helped them at the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar as a technical advisor. His record is four wins in 11 games.

(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2024