Former Ghana star Abukari Damba says the Black Stars must take responsibility for their disappointing start to the 2018 Fifa World Cup qualifying.

Playing at home at the Tamale Sports Stadium on Friday, Avram Grant’s side were held to a goalless draw, leaving them two points behind group leaders Egypt, who picked a valuable 2-1 away win over Congo two days later.

“With all fairness, I think we still have to congratulate the Black Stars for at least picking a point, but it was not the best of games as far as they are concerned,” Damba told Goal.

“I will not entirely blame the squad for what happened. We all saw that the pitch was not in the best of conditions, so did not allow the Stars to play their normal tactics; passing, quick play and all those kind of things.

“Though the pitch was a problem, we need to call a spade a spade.”

Friday’s draw was the Black Stars’ second successive home stalemate with the Cranes following a 1-1 deadlock in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in 2014.

Damba continued: “We created some decent chances which should have ended up at the back of the net. Someway, somehow, we could not get it there. Creating chances is one thing and getting the goals is another thing.

“We had about eight set-pieces in the game, and what stopped us from converting at least one? They were not too far away from the Uganda goal area, so in this situation, I will say we need to blame ourselves. But nothing is lost.”

Ghana play away to Egypt in their next qualifier on November 13 and a defeat will leave them trailing the Pharaohs by five points.