Ghana tournament a success despite defeat – Grant

Franceville (Gabon) (AFP) – Avram Grant could not hide his dejection after Ghana’s 2-0 defeat to Cameroon in the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals on Thursday but he insisted it had been a good tournament for the Black Stars.

It was a sixth successive appearance in the last four for the Ghanaians but they were defeated by second-half goals by Michael Ngadeu and Christian Bassogog in Franceville and have still not won the trophy since 1982.

“I think we are successful even now,” said Grant when asked about Ghana’s inability to go the extra step in the competition in recent years. 

“We didn’t win the cup but we have had a good tournament. Today we were the better side, and in the last tournament we only lost on penalties.”

Ghana got to the final two years ago in Equatorial Guinea but succumbed 9-8 on penalties to the Ivory Coast after a goalless draw.

“It is a good generation, a new generation, and I think they will win a lot of titles,” Grant added.

Ghana can still qualify for next year’s World Cup in Russia — they resume their campaign at home to Congo Brazzaville in August — but it remains to be seen if Grant will still be in charge then.

“My future is not important now. What matters now is that we lost after a very good tournament,” added the Israeli former Chelsea manager.

Before that Ghana now have to go back to the port city of Port-Gentil, where they were based during the group phase, to play Burkina Faso in the third-place play-off on Saturday evening.

“Its not the dream of our life to play this game but if we have to play it we will,” said Grant of that match.