2027 AFCON Qualifiers: Hervé Renard dismisses Ghana absences as Ivory Coast beat Black Stars

Ivory Coast coach Hervé Renard has dismissed suggestions that Ghana’s missing key players contributed to his side’s 2-0 victory over the Black Stars in their opener of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier.

Goals from Malick Yalcouyé and captain Franck Kessié secured victory for the Elephants in Bouaké as Ivory Coast made a winning start to their qualifying campaign.

The result prompted questions about Ghana’s squad, with several established players unavailable due to injury and personal reason.

But Renard insisted Ivory Coast were also missing important players and said Ghana’s absentees were not a factor in the outcome.

“Why the players are not around, key Ghanaian players, this is not my issue. This is your problem, I would say,” Renard said after the match.

“We were missing five or six players as well. So we won this game, and that’s all.”

Renard also rejected suggestions that Ghana’s defeat should be accompanied by explanations, stressing that the result was the main focus for his team.

“It was the first game for the qualifiers of the Africa Cup of Nations 2027. The result is good for us,” he said.

“Now, if you want to discuss your players, we are not there about the penalty. For me, so many excuses.”

Ivory Coast, meanwhile, have made an early statement in the group with three points from their opening match and now play Somalia in the second group game.