“Black Stars must be more clinical after Somalia victory” – Interim Coach, Kim Lars Björkegren

Interim Black Stars coach Kim Lars Björkegren has expressed his desire for Ghana to enhance their speed of play and finishing, following their 2-0 victory over Somalia. Björkegren's team secured the win at the Essipong Sports Stadium in Takoradi during a 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match. However, the interim coach admitted that his side struggled with intensity in the first half, possibly due to the heat.

"We were struggling a little bit. I don’t know if the heat was too much, but the intensity was a bit low in the first half," he stated. The coach was more pleased with Ghana's performance after the break when the team's energy levels rose and they created several chances. Despite this improved display, Björkegren believes there is still room for improvement, particularly in the speed at which his players move the ball.

"I think we can play the ball a bit faster than we did, especially in the first half. But I respect the effort because the heat makes it not easy to play," he remarked. The interim coach also pointed out Ghana's inability to capitalize on all their opportunities as another area requiring attention. "Of course, we can improve on many aspects from today’s game, especially in terms of taking our chances," he added.

The interim coach remains optimistic that Ghana can deliver another positive performance in the return match on Monday. He believes the first encounter will provide his technical team with a better understanding of Somalia ahead of their next game. "We did not have that much information about Somalia, and the good thing now is that after playing the first match, we know a bit more about them. "I absolutely think we can do a second good game as well," he concluded.