'We were missing five or six players as well'- Renard brushes aside Ghana’s complaints

Ivory Coast head coach Hervé Renard has dismissed suggestions that Ghana’s absence of some key players contributed to the Elephants’ 2–0 victory in Bouaké, insisting his side also had several players missing. Renard was speaking after Ivory Coast opened their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign with a comfortable victory over the Black Stars, with goals from Malick Yalcouyé and Franck Kessié securing all three points for the hosts. The result sparked discussions about Ghana’s squad, particularly the absence of some of the country’s established players. However, Renard was quick to reject the suggestion that Ivory Coast’s victory should be viewed through the lens of Ghana’s missing personnel. “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 game. The French coach argued that Ivory Coast were also without several players, making Ghana’s absences an insufficient explanation for the result. “We were missing five or six players as well. So we won this game and that’s all,” he added. Renard’s comments came after Ivory Coast dominated large portions of the encounter in Bouaké. The hosts started strongly and put Ghana under sustained pressure, particularly through their wide players, while the Black Stars struggled to create clear-cut opportunities. After a goalless opening period appeared possible, Yalcouyé broke the deadlock with a long-range strike shortly before half-time, giving Ivory Coast a deserved lead. Ghana improved after the interval but were unable to find an equaliser. Their task became even more difficult when Fatawu Issahaku conceded a penalty, allowing Ivory Coast captain Kessié to calmly convert from the spot and double the hosts’ advantage. The Black Stars attempted to respond late in the game, with coach Carlos Queiroz introducing Felix Afena-Gyan, Benjamin Tetteh and Augustine Boakye to add greater attacking threat. However, Ivory Coast held firm to claim a 2–0 victory and begin their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign with three points. Renard also rejected the idea that the result should be surrounded by explanations or excuses, stressing that the important outcome for his team was the victory. “It was the first game for the qualifiers of Africa Cup of Nations 2027. The result is good for us,” he said. “Now if you want to discuss about your players, we are not there about the penalty. For me, so many excuses.” The result gives Ivory Coast an early boost in the race for qualification, while Ghana must now regroup and focus on their next assignment. For the Black Stars, the defeat in Bouaké leaves little room for further dropped points as they look to recover from a difficult start to their campaign. For Renard and Ivory Coast, however, the message after the opening victory was simple: regardless of who was missing on either side, the Elephants got the result they wanted. *Source: [3News](https://3news.com/sports/we-were-missing-five-or-six-players-as-well-renard-brushes-aside-ghanas-complaints)*