Ghana U20 coach Mas-U Didi Dramani has played down Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Ethiopia in the first leg of the 2017 African Youth Championship qualifiers, attributing the loss to an unfavourable weather.
Ame Mohammed scored twice within the first 10 minutes of the game to hand the hosts a dream start, but Jonas Osabutey cut the deficit, with a priceless away goal late in the meeting.
“We lost not because of tactical or physical conditions but because of the [poor] climatic conditions,” Dramani.
“The altitude was a big factor that even before the game started, those of us not playing, were struggling for breath.
“I will continuously congratulate the players for fighting throughout the game. Many of them were also coming up with cramps because the pitch was not so good, so hard and they were also not enough energy because they were also not getting enough oxygen,” he added.
Ghana will host Ethiopia in the reverse fixture at the Accra Sports Stadium on June 4. The winner of the tie will face the winner between Senegal and Tunisia in the final qualifying round.
Ame Mohammed scored twice within the first 10 minutes of the game to hand the hosts a dream start, but Jonas Osabutey cut the deficit, with a priceless away goal late in the meeting.
“We lost not because of tactical or physical conditions but because of the [poor] climatic conditions,” Dramani.
“The altitude was a big factor that even before the game started, those of us not playing, were struggling for breath.
“I will continuously congratulate the players for fighting throughout the game. Many of them were also coming up with cramps because the pitch was not so good, so hard and they were also not enough energy because they were also not getting enough oxygen,” he added.
Ghana will host Ethiopia in the reverse fixture at the Accra Sports Stadium on June 4. The winner of the tie will face the winner between Senegal and Tunisia in the final qualifying round.
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