AFCON: Chris Hughton, Jordan Ayew and Richard Ofori react to Cape Verde defeat

The Black Stars were beaten 2-1 by Cape Verde in their 2023 AFCON opener...

We are incredibly disappointed with the result. We came into the game with a game plan. We changed the system a bit so we can start on the front foot, said Hughton at the press conference immediately after Sunday's defeat against Cape Verde..

We are hugely disappointed with the result. It's a defeat we are hugely disappointed in, the Irishman added.

The Black Stars players were also disappointed after the defeat against Cape Verde - and searched for reasons for the loss.

We lack a lot of experience. If you look at the squad we have. For more than ten it's the first AFCON, explained experienced Crystal Palace attacker Jordan Ayew in an interview with journalist Joel Bortey after the game.

These types of mistakes will happen. We need to learn quick, the AFCON is not waiting for everyone. We need to stand up and face the reality, he added.

Captain on the night and goalkeeper Richard Ofori was also disappointed. But not only about the result, but also about the performance of his defenders in the lead up to Cape Verde's opener.

The ball was bouncing in front of me and then the ball was going far away from me also. I needed to stretch and direct the ball to the side. But unfortunately, my players weren't there to block.

He also calls out his defenders for the second goal. We can't concede in such a time. We have to be compact. We have players that play highest level football. We just can't concede in such a time, he added.

The only one who really performed on Sunday evening was centre-back Alexander Djiku. Shortly after the game, he received the Man of the Match award. But he wasn't that happy about it:

So difficult, but we need to do more. We need to be more aggressive. We need to create more chances and we need to score also. We have another game and we need to win.

Next Thursday at 20:00GMT, the Black Stars will face Egypt in the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium - where they can show that they can do better than yesterday.

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