Côte d’Ivoire head coach Hervé Renard has played down Ghana’s list of absentees, insisting that the Black Stars’ missing players should not be used as an explanation for the result.
Renard was speaking after Côte d’Ivoire secured victory over Ghana, with the encounter also featuring a controversial penalty decision.
The French coach pointed out that the Elephants were also without several key players and argued that both teams had to deal with absences ahead of the clash.
“Missing players is not my problem. We were missing five or six players too,” Renard said.
The veteran coach also dismissed discussions surrounding the penalty and other factors that Ghana could point to following the defeat.
“The penalty, the absences — there are so many excuses. We won this game, and that’s all that matters.”
Renard’s comments reflect his focus on the result as Côte d’Ivoire claimed an important victory, while Ghana will now turn their attention to their next assignment in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.
