AFCON 2017 : Ghana coach plays down Black Stars favourite tag

Published on: 23 January 2017
AFCON 2017 : Ghana coach plays down Black Stars favourite tag
Avram Grant

Ghana coach Avram Grant says the Black Stars are not the only favourites at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations after the side reached the quarter-finals.

The Black Stars reached the last eight as one of the two team by the second round of matches together with Senegal.

The Black Stars opened their tournament account with a 1-0 win over Uganda before defeating Mali by a similar scoreline on Saturday.

Their advance to the quarter-final has sparked hopes that they are one of the favourites and can win the title.

Grant insists last tournament’s beaten finalists are in positive spirits, and feels the tournament thus far has been a good showcase for African football as they are others who are also in the hunt for the title.

“I never think negative, and the people in Ghana know what the profile of their team is,” Avram Grant said.

“We were not the favourites at the last AFCON (in 2015), yet we reached the final.

"We just think of winning the next game and then let anything happen.

"We are not the only candidates. Even that we have lots of problems but we will show the character we've got like we did two years ago."

Ghana face Egypt in their final match on Wednesday and a draw will ensure they finish top of the table.

Mali still have a chance to qualify if they beat Uganda, also on Wednesday, but they would also need Egypt to lose to Ghana and it would then come down to goal difference.

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