Soccer can often get the worst out of the players and managers, but sometimes fans can also get quite dangerous and angry. Ghana manager Chris Hughton has now experienced this firsthand after his side’s disastrous beginning to the AFCON 2023 tournament, which is being held in 2024 for some reasons.
The African nation had high hopes ahead of their opening game in the esteemed continental competition. But their opening game itself saw a shocking defeat against a lesser side in Cape Verde, which has angered many fans, and one such fan went to extreme lengths.
What happened to Chris Hughton’s attacker?
Ghana saw a shocking defeat to Cape Verde yesterday, and fans were clearly fuming. Fans could be seen at the stadium in Ivory Coast, being wildly angry at the team and especially venting their frustrations on manager Chris Hughton.
However, one such fan could not control his anger and did something horrific. According to journalist Saddick Adams, an unidentified Ghanaian fan attacked the team manager Hughton in the hotel the team was staying in. He was quickly saved thanks to the the interventions of some Ghanaian diplomats. The fan was also arrested the Ivorian police, and is currently in jail.
The report said, “One member of the Ghanaian supporters in Abidjan has been arrested for an attack on coach Chris Hughton at the team’s hotel. It took the intervention of some Ghanaian diplomats who were around to save the coach. The unidentified man has been handed to the Ivorian Police.”
However, other reports indicate that there was no physical altercation, and it was a verbal assault on the manager by the fan. He was taken away by security, but his arrest by the police is also unconfirmed. It is yet to be determined what actually happened, and whether the fan has been punished or not.
Ghana boss reacts to Cape Verde defeat
It is no surprise the defeat angered many fans, as Ghana were the clear favorites over Cape Verde. The underdogs quickly gained an early lead in just the 17th minute, before Ghana equalized in the second half. It was in extra time of the game, that Ghana lost, when a grave defensive mistake saw a goal conceded by the Black Stars.
Manager Chris Hughton expressed his disappointment with the team after the game, saying, “We are incredibly hugely disappointed with the result. We came into the game with a game plan to start on the front foot.”
He also knew that the fans will also be angry and disappointed with the result, “And I know and this group of players also know how the Ghanaian people see this game, see this tournament and our expectations going into this one.” If Ghana don’t win their next games, they will be out of the group stage itself, shattering the expectations of a whole nation’s fans.
Ghana will now have to prepare for their next match against Mohamed Salah’s Egypt, which will be crucial for their continuity in the tournament.
