Gambia head coach Jonathan McKinstry says his side’s remarkable 4-2 victory over Ghana in Accra did not come as a surprise, despite the Scorpions recovering from two goals down to stun the Black Stars.
The result left Ghana bottom of Group C without a point after two matches in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, while The Gambia moved to the top with six points.
McKinstry believes his previous experience in Ghana, including his time with the Right to Dream Academy, gave him valuable insight into the country’s football culture and helped him anticipate how the Black Stars would respond as the game unfolded.
The Northern Irish coach explained that he expected Ghana to become less organised after The Gambia equalised at 2-2, creating opportunities for his side to exploit.
“Beyond the tactics, I had an understanding of the culture. When it went to 2-2, I knew how the Black Stars might react, how the game might become less controlled and that we would have our opportunities,” McKinstry said.
“You saw at the end, when they were flooding forward with seven or eight players trying to get a goal, and that gave us more opportunities.”
Although the victory itself did not surprise him, McKinstry admitted that scoring a fourth goal was particularly satisfying, given the difficulty of securing wins away from home in African football.
“Winning the game did not surprise me, but getting the fourth goal was very pleasing because these games away from home on the continent usually mean you have to hold out for the win. To be able to enjoy the last few minutes was pleasing,” he added.
Ghana now face a difficult task in their bid to qualify for the 2027 AFCON and will need maximum points from a double-header against Somalia in November to keep their hopes alive.
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