Experienced Ghanaian coach J.E. Sarpong has expressed his thoughts on the friendly match between Ghana and Mexico, shedding light on what he believes to be a potential underestimation of the Mexican team by Chris Hughton, coach of the black stars.
Sarpong in an interview on Happy FM, pointed out that Hughton selected players who he believes understand his philosophy and system for the friendly encounter. However, he raised concerns about Hughton’s tactical decisions, suggesting that the coach might have underestimated the Mexican side. Sarpong noted, “Going into the game against Mexico, I think Hughton underestimated the Mexicans a little because he admitted it that he was test trying a different system on the match day, and unfortunately, we lost.”
The match against Mexico was a friendly, and Hughton utilized it to experiment with various strategies and player combinations. Sarpong acknowledged the importance of such friendlies for a national team preparing for significant tournaments.
He added, “It is a friendly, and he has the freedom to test his players and know his team’s strength because the team is preparing for the AFCON next year and the World Cup qualifiers.”
This friendly match was part of Ghana’s preparations for the upcoming 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast and the 2026 World Cup qualifiers scheduled to begin next month. The Ghanaian team will face Madagascar on November 13 and Comoros on November 21, as they gear up for these crucial international competitions.
