Black Meteors chief Frederick Acheampong blames weak defense for U23 AFCON failure

Frederick Acheampong, Chairman of the Black Meteors Management Committee, has identified weak defense as the primary reason for Ghana’s underperformance at the U23 AFCON tournament in Morocco.

Acheampong acknowledged that defensive lapses cost the team dearly, resulting in their early exit from the ongoing tournament in North Africa. Despite showing promise in front of goal, Ghana conceded eight goals in three matches, dashing their hopes of qualifying for the 2024 Olympic Games.

“During the qualifiers, our defense was a department we had high hopes for. We only conceded two goals in four games, so it seemed like our strongest area. However, when we arrived at the tournament, there were changes,” Acheampong explained during an interview with 3FM on Sports Ultras.

He further explained, “Alex Opoku couldn’t participate in the tournament, forcing the coaches to make adjustments. Unfortunately, our once robust defense became our weakest link, and we ended up conceding eight goals in three matches, which is not satisfactory.”

The Black Meteors’ dream of Olympic Games qualification was shattered after a 1-1 draw against Guinea in their final Group A game last Friday. The team needed a victory to progress from the group stage to the semifinals but settled for a draw, resulting in their early elimination.

Guinea’s captain, Ibrahim Fofona, cancelled out Emmanuel Yeboah’s first-half opener with a beautiful volley in the second half. Ghana’s exit at the group stage marks another disappointing tournament for the team.