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Afcon 2021: ‘Disappointed’ Andre Ayew Slams ‘Small’ Gabon For Lack Of Fair Play

The Black Stars skipper is unhappy with the conduct of The Panthers in Friday’s 1-1 draw

Ghana captain Andre Ayew has lashed out at Gabon for their lack of fair play in Friday’s 1-1 stalemate at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

The two nations shared the spoils in a Group C matchday two fixture after Jim Allevinah scored two minutes from full-time to cancel out Ayew’s first-half opener for the Black Stars.

Ghana is unhappy with the conduct of the opposition on the day as they feel Gabon should have returned the ball in the spirit of fair play. They instead went on to score after the four-time champions kicked the ball out of touch for injured Daniel-Kofi-Kyereh to receive medical attention.

“A Ghanaian player was [lying] on the field. We had the ball and we put the ball out because our player was on the field,” Ayew explained to pressmen at the post-match press conference.

"[On resumption, you are supposed to] take the ball and give it back to Ghana. Simple as that. So we were waiting for the ball to come back and the ball was never coming back. And they played [on] and that’s how they got their only open chance of the game. That is it.

“It’s very small of them. I’m disappointed in them, but no problem. We are Ghana, we’re going to win the last game and go through.”

Ayew broke the deadlock for Ghana in the 17th minute after receiving a pass from Thomas Partey, going round his marker and firing a shot past goalkeeper Jean Noel Amonome.

The West Africans appeared well on course for all three points until two minutes to full-time when Allevinah scored to draw parity at Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo in the Cameroonian capital of Yaounde.

The Black Stars, who fell 1-0 to Morocco in their first game of the tournament, currently find themselves in third position on the table, with one point to their name.

Gabon, who beat Comoros in their opening game, holds the second position with four points, while Morocco leads the pack with six marks after winning their two games thus far.

Ghana will need a good result in their final group game against Comoros on Tuesday to make it to the next round of the competition.