CK Akonnor
CK Akonnor

Coach C.K. Akonnor believes he is not under pressure to steer the Black Stars to win the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations [Afcon] tournament in Cameroon.

The Black Stars have been drawn in Group C of the Afcon alongside Morocco, Gabon and Comoros.

Ghana has not won the AFCON since 1982 and exited at the Round of 16 in the last edition held in Egypt in 2019.

Speaking after the draw, coach Akonnor said he personally doesn’t feel any pressure to win the country’s 5th Afcon title.

“I think the draw is okay. I didn’t come here [to Cameroon] with expectations of which group I want to be in or not,” the former Asante Kotoko, Dreams FC and Ashgold gaffer told TV3.

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“Nowadays football is evolving and so you cannot expect weaker things.

“We are preparing feverishly for the tournament and the world cup qualifiers and I’m sure we will be ready,” he said.

“I am not under any pressure [to win the tournament]. You guys [the media] give me pressure back home but for me, I don’t care,” he said.

The Black Stars will open their campaign on January 10 against Morocco, a side that beat them 1-0 in an international friendly in June.

“I think we had a strong friendly with Morocco a few months ago and thank God they are in our group. It gives us an idea of the opponent. I am thankful to the Ghana FA for organising the friendly,” coach Akonnor added.

Ghana will face Gabon four days after the Morocco game before concluding their group stage games with a contest against Comoros on January 18 in Douala.