Experience helped us win – Grant

Avram Grant

Ghana coach Avram Grant has admitted that his side edged a high-flying DR Congo side 2-1 on Sunday in the third Afcon 2017 quarterfinal at Stade d’Oyem because of experience.

In the absence of captain Asamoah Gyan, who is nursing an injury, the Ayew brothers Jordan and Andre found the back of the net to hand the Black Stars a coveted place in the last four.

Speaking to supersport.com after the game, Grant said, “In the first half we did not play well but we were very solid. We lost two good balls and they used them for counterattack and could have scored, but the experienced players knew that it can happen.

“They were calm until
halftime and at halftime we corrected our mistakes. The first half and second half were totally different. We scored from fantastic goals.”

The Leopards dominated the first half with strikers Dieumerci Mbokani and Junior Kabananga squandering several goal-scoring opportunities.

“In the moment when we were sleeping, they also scored a fantastic goal. It is not easy to play against DR Congo. They are a very good team with players who are organised and play good football.”

“They scored a lot of goals until now, but I think in the second half we did a very good job on the football side.”
 

  DR Congo scored six goals in three matches in group C, with Kabananga leading the players scoring chart with three goals ahead of Riyad Mahrez, Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, Dede Ayew, Paul Jose M’Poku, Sadio Mane, Prejuce Nakoulma, Islam Slimani and Naim Sliti, who have two goals.