Black Maidens coach Evans Adotey has apologised to goalkeeper Grace Boadu for blaming her for Ghana’s elimination from the 2018 FIFA Women’s U-17 World Cup in Uruguay last Sunday.
The Maidens shared the spoils 2-2 with Mexico in the quarterfinals within regulations time but lost 4-2 on penalties to the South Americans.
Mukarama Abdulai gave Ghana the lead by the 46th minute – her seventh goal of the tournament – after she met a cross from Mavis Owusu before Nicole Perez equalised from the spot for Mexico on the hour mark.
Substitute Susan Teye restored Ghana’s lead on 75th minute but a goalkeeping howler from Boadu late in the game helped Perez to score her second goal of the day, which dragged the encounter into penalty shootouts. Justice Tweneboah and Elizabeth Oppong missed their kicks for Ghana.
In the aftermath of the match, coach Adotey could not hide his frustration and insists goalkeeper Boadu’s errors caused their elimination from the tournament.
But the former Medeama SC gaffer has rendered an apology to the young custodian over his harsh criticism.
“A friend who’s a journalist prompt me that i was too harsh on the goalkeeper. I realise I was too harsh on her and I went to console her,” coach Adotey told Odiasempa Kwame Oware on Happy FM upon their arrival at the Kotoka International Airport.
“I was so hurt after our defeat to Mexico. I was totally off. I went off but I apologised to the goalkeeper for my comments. I won’t blame her for our exit.
“My target was to go beyond the quarter finals stage of the tournament but I was hoping she will save that free kick but I won’t blame only her but the entire team couldn’t defend our lead.”
The experienced trainer admitted his frustration over their tournament exit but congratulated the girls for their display in the competition.
“There’s a lot of difference between coaching women and men. Sometimes you are ready for a game and a player will run to you saying she is bleeding. She’ll lose concentration for the game but the girls did well.”