Head coach of the Black Stars, Avram Grant, has admitted his boys could have played better against the Cranes of Uganda, who they beat 1-0 at their 2017 Africa Cup of Nations opener at Port Gentil on Tuesday January 18 in Gabon.

The former Chelsea boss said although the team struggled in the second half, he was happy with the win because the result was all that mattered in the competition.

Speaking at a post-match press conference, he told journalists: “We can play better. [In the] first half we dominated the game…but the result is more important in competitions like this. We played to win the game. We created few chances when we came into the box and missed two, three good opportunities, but at the end of the day I’m happy for winning and I think we’ll improve in every game. That’s what we need in every tournament.”

A well-taken penalty from West Ham midfielder Andre Ayew was enough to give the Black Stars the maximum three points going into their second game against Mali on January 21.

Many Ghanaians have criticised the team’s performance, especially in the second half when the Cranes of Uganda dominated play.