Cape Verde coach says Ghana are favoured by authorities at AFCON

Published on: 04 February 2013

Cape Verde coach Lucio Antunes has implied that Ghana was favoured by the authorities over his side because they want a big name to win the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Black Stars eliminated the Blue Sharks in the quarter-final of the tournament with a hard-fought 2-0 win in Port Elizabeth on Saturday in their debut appearance in the tournament.

Cape Verde, a country with a population of 500,000, were regarded as the underdogs for the match.

Yet they dominated most of the second half and felt undone by a penalty call for Ghana after an unfair shoulder charge on Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan as they challenged for the ball.

Antunes, a close friend of Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho, summed up the match in a manner not unfamiliar to the outspoken Portuguese.

"We have watched a beautiful game of football but the best team lost. The best team in the competition is now going home so the tournament will lose a little of its shine," said the Cape Verde coach.

"But I congratulate Ghana. Although we were the better team they got the goals so it was a fair result.

“And really, who would want to see a semi-final between Togo or Burkina Faso and Cape Verde? There would be 200 people there.

"The tournament needs big teams like Ghana at the end," added Antunes.

Ghana will play Burkina Faso in the semi-final of Africa’s top-flight football competition on Wednesday.

Antunes will now return to his day job as an air traffic controller.

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