Ghana Football Association President Kurt Okraku, says the Black Stars team looked well structured, better managed, more focused and motivated during the Qatar FIFA 2022 World Cup play-off ties against Nigeria.
The Black Stars booked qualification to the mundial in Qatar at the expense of the Super Eagles of Nigeria following the away goal rule after a goalless draw in Kumasi and a 1-1 stalemate in Abuja.
The Ghana FA boss who doubles as the WAFU Zone B President, was speaking in an interview with Karl Tuffour on GTV Sports Plus.
“In the end, the team that was more structured, better managed and more motivated qualified out of the ties,” Kurt Okraku said.
“When we arrived in Abuja, I told by boys we are both going to play on the pitch and we must take absolute control over the pitch.
”To be honest Karl, we had to pull every string, we had to work overnight and cover every ground here to ensure that our beloved country had the opportunity to ply here at home.
”If you heard about the possibility of Ghana playing beyond the shores of Ghana it was true. Because clearly the Kumasi Sports Stadium was challenged and still challenged as we speak, we can not play games at the Baba Yara as we speak. International games, if the defects that have been allowed by FIFA and CAF are not fixed.
”Indeed at that time, when we had the ultimatum the Sports Minister as he has always been, was with us throughout and the NSA too. So we met some of the requirements of FIFA.
Speaking on why the Ghana didn’t make noise in the lead up to the game against Nigeria, Kurt Okraku said that: They decided to go the way they went and we went by motivating ourselves in a different ways.
”Again, it is a Ghana Nigeria derby and at a lot of ingredients go in the soup, the hype is part of the excitement in such derby.
