Coach Chris Hughton has explained the decision behind substituting Osman Bukari just 16 minutes after coming on.
The Red Star Belgrade winger replaced Inaki Williams in the 73rd minute but Bukari’s brief appearance was marred by a crucial mistake that led to Mostafa Mohamed’s scoring and was substituted in the 89th minute.
Hughton revealed in a post-match statement that, the decision to substitute Bukari was prompted by concerns about the player’s mindset following the pivotal error.
According to him, the coaching staff collectively agreed that withdrawing Bukari was necessary, as they believed the weight of his mistake might negatively impacted his performance.
“Osman Bukari is an exceptional player who has had a commendable season, and we appreciate him both as an individual and a player. After the mistake, emotions can take over, and we sensed that when you’re close on the touchline,” said Chris Hughton in his post-game remarks.
“We observed that the mistake, given the emotional nature of the game, seemed to affect him a bit. Therefore, we made the decision to bring about the change. This is not a personal decision against anyone; we hold him in high regard, and it doesn’t diminish our opinion of him. He’s a fantastic player who will continue to excel,” he added.
Looking ahead, Ghana will now focus on a crucial must-win game against Mozambique, scheduled for Monday, January 22, 2024. The match is set to kick off at 20:00 GMT.
