Chris Hughton made a winning start to life as Ghana coach as the Black Stars recorded a 1-0 victory over Angola in a 2023 AFCON qualifier at the Baba Yara Stadium on Thursday evening.
A late goal by substitute Antoine Semenyo was the difference as the West Africans moved three points clear at the top of Group E of the qualifying.
In his first game in charge of the Black Stars, Hughton named an exciting line-up for the game against the Black Antelopes, with Thomas Partey captaining the side in the absence of regular skipper Andre Ayew, who was left out of the match-day squad as a precaution.
Lawrence Ati Zigi, however, maintained his position in post, having been Ghana’s starting goalkeeper at the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
Hughton made a series of changes to try to turn the game around, bringing on Joseph Paintsil, Osman Bukari and Antoine Semenyo.
And it was the latter who found the breakthrough in the 95th minute when he slammed home a rebound after Joseph Aidoo’s effort had been kept out.
The result means the Black Stars remain top of Group E of the 2023 African qualifiers, and are now three points clear of Angola.
Both teams will battle it out again in the return encounter in Luanda on Monday as the race for qualification gets keener.
⌚️FULL-TIME – It's all over at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi.
• Ghana 🇬🇭 1-0 🇦🇴 Angola
⚽️ 90+6' Antoine Semenyo #BringBackTheLove | #BlackStars | #AFCON2023Q | #GHAANG pic.twitter.com/ylyQGzXdIO
— 🇬🇭 Black Stars (@GhanaBlackstars) March 23, 2023
NKONKONSA.com