Gambia head coach Jonathan McKinstry has revealed that some Ghana players exchanged strong words with each other during the half-time break of the Black Stars’ 4-2 defeat to The Gambia in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
According to McKinstry, the tension inside Ghana’s dressing room was evident after the Black Stars surrendered a two-goal advantage before the break.
The Gambia coach said some Ghana players were unhappy with each other as frustration grew following the dramatic change in the scoreline.
“Some of the Ghana players exchanged strong words at half time because they were unhappy with each other.”
Ghana had taken control of the match after scoring twice, putting the Black Stars in a strong position before The Gambia staged a remarkable comeback.
The visitors scored twice before the interval to level the game at 2-2, transforming the mood of the contest and putting Ghana under considerable pressure.
McKinstry said his team recognised the psychological impact of the comeback and sought to take advantage of the situation in the second half.
The Gambia eventually completed the turnaround by scoring two additional goals after the restart to secure a 4-2 victory at the Accra Sports Stadium.
The result represents a major setback for Ghana in their bid to qualify for the 2027 AFCON tournament and has intensified scrutiny of the Black Stars’ performance.
McKinstry’s revelation also adds another dimension to the defeat, particularly regarding the reaction of the Ghana players after losing their two-goal advantage.
For The Gambia, the ability to remain composed after falling two goals behind proved crucial as they recovered to claim all three points.
The victory gives McKinstry’s team an important boost in the qualifying campaign, while Ghana must now find a way to recover from consecutive defeats and address the issues exposed during the match.
