Sports News of Tuesday, 1 September 2020

Source: ghanasoccernet.com

Jordan Ayew promises to end Black Stars AFCON trophy drought

Ghana and Crystal Palace forward Jordan Ayew Ghana and Crystal Palace forward Jordan Ayew

Ghana and Crystal Palace forward Jordan Ayew has promised to help end the Black Stars Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy drought which has prolonged for 38 years.

The Black Stars have come close to ending the trophy drought in the last decade, 2010 Angola losing to Egypt in the finals and in 2015 Equatorial Guinea- Gabon as the Stars lost to Ivory Coast on penalty shootout.

Jordan Ayew played a part in the 2015 finals which the Black Stars lost painfully to the Ivory Coast after leading the penalty shoot-outs by two goals only to throw away the two goal lead.

The 2019-20 Crystal Palace Player of the season has promised to give his all to end the Black Stars AFCON trophy drought.

“The only thing I can promise is that I’ll give my three hundred or four hundred percent to the nation”, he told Citi Sports.

“I know it’s only one thing and it is the African Cup of Nations, so we will make sure that when we go back to the next AFCON, we will do our best to perform very well and die for the country,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, new Black Stars coach Charles Kwabla Akonnor says winning the AFCON title is not his main priority.

 “I don't want my main focus to be winning the AFCON but rather improving the team. Once the team improves, we'll get there," Charles Kwabla Akonnor said in an interview.

Despite the comment made by Akonnor, Black Stars management committee chairman George Amoako says winning the AFCON title is a target set by all Ghanaians.   “We have been to the Afcon several times and the target is simple - to lift the trophy - and it requires the support of everybody.”

"It is the wish of every Ghanaian to see the Black Stars win the Africa Cup of Nations after a long wait.”

“Winning Afcon would be a difficult task and it would require the effort of everyone to make this work," he added.