‘We fell short’ – Richard Ofori admits in apologetic statement to Ghanaians
In the aftermath of Ghana’s dismal outing at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast, goalkeeper Richard Ofori has joined the ranks of players extending heartfelt apologies to the nation for their underwhelming performance.
Ofori, who took on the role of captain for most of the matches in the absence of Andre Ayew who mostly warmed the bench, expressed regret over the team’s inability to meet expectations during the tournament. The Orlando Pirates shot-stopper shouldered a significant portion of the blame, particularly for Ghana’s early exit from the competition.
The goalkeeper came under heavy scrutiny for his performance, notably for conceding goals in crucial moments during the matches against Cape Verde, Egypt, and Mozambique. His error in the final must-win game against Mozambique, where he failed to keep the ball in play, resulted in a corner kick that led to their opponent’s equalizer, sealing Ghana’s fate in the tournament.
Taking to Instagram, Ofori penned a sincere apology to the Ghanaian people, acknowledging the disappointment caused by the team’s shortcomings.
He expressed gratitude for the unwavering support stating, “To the wonderful people of Ghana, I humbly extend my heartfelt apologies for our team’s performance at AFCON. As a collective, we fell short. We gave our all in previous games, and it pains me that we couldn’t achieve the desired result in the end,” Ofori stated.