Ghana coach CK Akonnor – a member of the Black Stars team that reached the semifinals of the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations – has disclosed the reason why hosts South Africa humiliated Ghana by 3-0 at the FNB Stadium during one of the biggest meetings of the tournament and it is hilarious.
According to Akonnor the Black Stars mentally lost the big game from the tunnel at the stadium when both sides started chanting.
“We lost the game in the tunnel. When we were going to the pitch we were singing (jama) in the tunnel hailing the name of God. The South Africans were inside and when they came they started their own version of “jama” and I tell you we lost the game there in the tunnel” the current Black Stars manager said on Citi TV.
“Their music was so powerful. We even thought they were a choir. Psychologically we were down. When they got closer we could feel their chanting strongly ” Aknonnor added.
A brace from John Moshoeu and another goal by Shaun Bartlett condemned the Ghana team of Ismael Kurtz as the Bafana Bafana went on to lift the trophy beating Tunisia in the finals.