Grant’s Ghana reach last eight at African Cup of Nations
The Black Stars were facing an early exit from the competition as they were trailing South Africa 1-0 with 17 minutes of the match remaining after Mandla Masango had fired them eahd with a spectacular strike. However, substitute John Boye drew them level, before Andre Ayew headed in a late winner much to Grant’s delight.
He said: “We have finished first in the group of death, which is not bad. After losing the first match we showed great attitude in the second and continued along the same lines today.
“We deserve it [to win] because South Africa were not better than us. We started the match very well with two or three good chances. We had the match in our hands. I am very happy that the players showed, just as in their last match, a good spirit and good attitude.”
However, Grant’s progression in the tournament came at the expense of South Africa and their captain Dean Furma. Speaking after the game, he said: “We’ve made the mistake three times, we’ve taken the lead brilliantly and then we’ve allowed the other team into the game, We’ve dropped too deep, we allow the other team to advance into our half and that’s proved costly for us,”Furman said after the game.
“I thought we had good moments but not as good, as the previous two games, the second half we were poor in posession, we gave the ball away a lot and maybe beause there was so much on the line, we started splashing at things.
“We stopped playing the football that’s been so good for us over the last two games and we kept giving the ball away and when you do that, you going to invite pressure, Ghana are a good side and they made us pay.”
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