IMANI Africa President Franklin Cudjoe has articulated his rationale for believing that Black Stars captain Jordan Ayew was impeding Ghana’s play during their World Cup opener against Panama.
Throughout the match, Cudjoe advocated for Ayew’s substitution, contending that the captain was not exerting the desired influence on the team’s offensive efforts.
Following Ghana’s dramatic victory with a goal in the 94th minute, Cudjoe cited the timing of the goal as supporting evidence for his stance.
His comments ignited a disagreement with his friend, Abdul Rahaman Gaffar, who staunchly defended Ayew’s performance.
According to Abdul, the captain played a pivotal role by retaining possession, engaging defenders, and creating opportunities for his teammates.
“He was the sole player maintaining possession and persistently challenging the Panama defense,” Abdul asserted, adding that “not every contribution is reflected on the scoresheet.”
Cudjoe, however, remained unconvinced and utilized Ghana’s late success as reinforcement for his argument.
“As soon as he was taken out, we secured our goal,” he replied.
He further dismissed his friend’s assessment, maintaining that the team’s winning moment only materialized after Ayew had exited the field.
