Ghana U23 coach Ibrahim Tanko has expressed great disappointment after his team failed to qualify for the semi-finals of the ongoing TotalEnergies CAF U23 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2023.
The Black Meteors were eliminated after settling for a 1-1 draw against Guinea in their final Group A match on Friday night at the Ibn Batouta Stadium in Tangier.
The result meant the West Africans failed to secure a place in the semi-finals as they finish third in the group.
"It's a big disappointment to be out of the tournament," said Tanko during the post-match press conference.
He mentioned that it was a painful draw to accept, especially after taking a 1-0 lead in the first half. "We started well but conceded the goal due to a lack of concentration," explained Tanko.
The coach acknowledged that this is the nature of football, despite their preparation and hard work, they were unable to achieve their goals.
"We apologize to everyone back in Ghana. We are also disappointed in ourselves," he added.
The Ghana team concluded the tournament with four points, following a 3-2 win against Congo, a 5-1 defeat to Morocco, and the 1-1 draw against Guinea.
