Former Ghana international Yaw Preko has expressed that the Black Stars are under significant pressure to redeem themselves in the upcoming 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The team faced disappointment in the 2021 edition, exiting the tournament early after suffering a defeat to debutants Comoros.
As Ghana prepare for the AFCON 2023 in Ivory Coast, they are placed in Group B alongside Cape Verde, Egypt, and Mozambique. Yaw Preko, a respected figure in Ghana football, emphasised the weight of expectations on the team's shoulders.
According to him, the harsh reality of their premature exit in the previous tournament, coupled with a defeat at the hands of Comoros, has intensified the desire for redemption among fans and stakeholders.
Speaking on the matter, Yaw Preko noted, "As they go for this tournament, one pressure is on the boys. The last AFCON, we didn't do well, so the pressure is on the boys to go in there and do well because they know that they did well in the World Cup but that was under a different coach."
He highlighted that Ghanaians place more emphasis on AFCON than the World Cup, intensifying the pressure on the Black Stars to deliver a commendable performance and overcome the challenges they faced in the previous edition.
The Black Stars arrived in Ivory Coast yesterday afternoon and engaged in their first training session in the evening.