Ghana coach has criticised the officiating following the Black Stars’ defeat to Côte d’Ivoire in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Bouaké.
The coach admitted that Côte d’Ivoire were the better side in terms of possession, attacking penetration and chance creation but praised his players for their resilience throughout the game.
“In terms of possession, they were better than us; in terms of attacking penetration and creating opportunities, they were better than us,” he said.
Despite the defeat, he said he was proud of the Black Stars for the way they responded to adversity after going a goal down.
“I am very proud of my team, very proud of my players, the way they fight, the way they play, the way they fight against adversity,” he added.
However, the coach was particularly unhappy with the decision to award Côte d’Ivoire a penalty, describing it as a “joke” and arguing that it should not have been given.
“That penalty, it’s a joke. The penalty is a joke. I just saw it on television,” he said.
He maintained that the decision came at a crucial moment when Ghana were fighting to get back into the game.
“When we are one goal down and we fight for our chances, we fight for our opportunities, that should not be there to imbalance the game,” he stated.
The coach nevertheless congratulated Côte d’Ivoire for their performance, making it clear that his criticism was directed at the officiating and not the Ivorian players.
“Nothing to do with Côte d’Ivoire, they played very well, all players played very well, congratulations. But I cannot give congratulations to the referee,” he said.
He also questioned the absence of VAR in AFCON qualifying matches, arguing that the technology could help reduce controversial decisions and improve fairness in African football.
“Why don’t we have VAR in an African Cup of Nations competition? What example do we want to give to the world?” he asked.
The coach further expressed frustration over what he described as repeated poor officiating, warning that other teams could face similar situations in future matches.
“Because today it’s us, tomorrow it will be someone else,” he said.
Ghana will now look to recover from the defeat as their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign continues.