Henry Asante Twum, the Communications Director of the Ghana Football Association, has denied claims that Andre Ayew pressured coach Chris Hughton to sub him into the game against Mozambique at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Ghana’s untimely exit from the tournament has been partially blamed on the decision to bring on Ayew and replace Joseph Paintsil during the team’s final group match.
Ayew’s performance has received criticism, especially after he gave away a penalty in stoppage time which was converted, leading to Mozambique’s comeback in the 91st minute of added time.
According to Twum, Ayew did not force his way into the game, and he was following instructions on how to handle set pieces and corner kicks.
Ghana’s tournament hopes were dashed after finishing third in a group that included Cape Verde, Egypt, and Mozambique. The team suffered a 2-1 loss to Cape Verde and consecutive 2-2 draws against Egypt and Mozambique, ultimately leading to their elimination.
This marks the second consecutive tournament in which the Black Stars exited at the group stages without securing a win, further prolonging the country’s quest for its fifth AFCON title to 42 years.
