In their second 2023 Africa Cup of Nations game against Egypt on Thursday, the Black Stars are expected to show greater dedication, according to former Togolese player Emmanuel Adebayor.
Before their match against Egypt, the Black Stars are in danger in Group B after their performance against the Island country on Sunday was lacking in fundamentals.
The group’s dedication has also been questioned, and it has been claimed that their on-field body language is improper.
Although they are not the best tactically, they are good technically. When you play in the Africa Cup of Nations, strategy and technicality are no longer relevant. Adebayor said to Sienu TV, “The AFCON is about mentality and jealousy.”
“The right mindset, the passion for the game, and the awareness that you are representing a nation must all be present.”
After 17 minutes, Jameiro Monteiro took advantage of a rebound to give Cape Verde the early advantage and shocked Ghana. Monteiro gave Cape Verde the lead when he quickly responded to Richard Ofori’s spill after Ryan Mendes’ long-range attempt.
Following the interval, Jordan Ayew’s corner kick found its way into the net for Djiku, the Fenerbahce central defender, giving Chris Hughton’s club a fast equaliser. This brought Hughton’s team’s score even.
Ghana suffered a painful loss as a result of a defensive blunder by the Black Stars that allowed Cape Verde to take the lead again.
Emmanuel Adebayor is rated high when it comes to African football, the Togolese legend at early stages of his career qualified to play for Nigeria but he chose Togo where he was born. He has scored 11 goals in the African Cup of Nations Qualifiers and is the leading scorer. He won the African Footballer of the Year in 2008 in Lagos Nigeria and was the first Togolese to win the award.
Adebayor’s efforts helped Togo qualify for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. After the game, Adebayor was named team captain.
The Togolese maestro was called up for the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations, where he was used as a substitute for the nation’s opening match. Adebayor went back to training with the team, but initially he threatened to withdraw from the competition and head home.
Togo lost all three of their matches and was eliminated. Togo let him go after the argument over bonus payments. Adebayor was, nevertheless, re-added to the Togo squad in September 2007. He scored four goals in Togo’s 6-0 thumping of Swaziland on October 11, 2008, in the World Cup qualifying stages.
Adebayor participated for Togo against Cameroon in spite of his injury. He netted Togo’s lone goal in the game to secure the victory.
Adebayor was among the players on board the Togo national team’s bus when it was attacked by gunmen on January 8, 2010, while it was travelling to Angola for the Africa Cup of Nations. Togo pulled out of the competition as a result of the deadly attack, in which all of the players were spared but three other individuals lost their lives.
As a result, on April 12, 2010, Adebayor declared his retirement from the game of football on behalf of the United States. In a statement, he said, “I have considered my sentiments in the weeks and months following the attack, and I am still troubled by what I saw that terrible afternoon on the Togo team bus. Even though we were merely football players representing our nation in a game, we were attacked by assassination plotters. I will always cherish that moment and never wish to relive it.”
After receiving safety guarantees from the Togolese Football Federation, Adebayor eventually resumed his international career in November 2011 and made his debut in a 2014 World Cup qualifier against Guinea-Bissau, winning 1-0.
In November 2018, he was recalled once more after declining to play earlier in the year. He was chosen to play against Benin in the pivotal 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification match in March 2019.
Adebayor played in most of the top clubs in Europe including Arsenal, Manchester City, joined Real Madrid on Loan, Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace etc. He retired from professional football on 21 March, 2023 at age 39.
He is undoubtedly one of the greatest African footballers that the continent have seen. Adebayor has friends in Ghana and even owns a house in the country, so speaking about the black stars ahead of their match against Egypt shows how concerned he is about the current situation of the team.
Following his statement, can the black stars of Ghana pull a magic by winning against Egypt on Thursday to rekindle hopes of success in the ongoing African Cup of Nations?
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