Ghana qualified for the continent’s tournament and was housed in Group B, which had, Egypt, Mozambique, and Cape Vere but failed to advance past the group stages in a second competition running.

READ MORE : Former President Kufuor launches The JA Kufuor Cup.

 Ussif announced during his visit to parliament on Wednesday that the initial budget was set at $8.5 million, with $5 million disbursed by the Finance Ministry to cover various expenses such as diems, flights, medicals, equipment, logistics, hospitality, and others.

He however intimated that a total sum of $2 million was unused following the BlackStar’s failure to advance past the group stages. 

“Our estimated budget for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations tournament was $8,506,450.00 to cater for the team’s pre-tournament and the tournament phases (group stages, 1/16 stage, quarter-final, semi-final, and final),” he stated.

“Out of the $8,506,450.00, $5,071,840.36 was released by the Ministry of Finance of which US$3,070,067.81 was spent on per diems, flight arrangements for the team, medicals, equipment, logistics, and hospitality. This resulted in a surplus of $2,001,772.55, after our exit from the tournament,” he elaborated.

“An amount of US$400,000.00 was received from MTN Ghana. This contributed immensely in complementing the Government’s expenditure towards the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations tournament,” he added.

READ MORE: Maccabi Netanya announces the signing of Ghana’a Ibrahim Tanko

The Sports Minister is expected to take steps in conjunction with the GFA and other relevant bodies to change the face of dwindling Ghana Football which has received in recent years. 

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The Nigerians’ run to the finals saw them topping a group with 7 points, two wins against, the host and Guinea Bissau, and a draw against Equatorial Guinea. 

READ MORE: Troost- Ekong, Ron Williams, Nsue, Adingra win big at AFCON 2023

They followed up with wins against Cameroon, Angola, and South Africa in the semi-finals to book a date against the host once again, whom they had earlier beaten in the group stages. 

Meanwhile, the host needed a win from Morocco against Zambia to steal themselves back into a competition, they nearly exited the group stages. 

The host defeated defending champions, Senegal and carried on with wins against Mali and DR Congo lifting them to the finals. 

In the finals, William Troost-Ekong shot Nigeria ahead seven minutes before halftime with a stunning header from nine yards out from a corner.

READ MORE: Ivory Coast beat DR Congo to set up final with Nigeria at AFCON 2023

The energetic Franck Kessie pulled his team on level with a thumping header in the 62nd minute of the game. 

Nine minutes to end the match proceedings, the exciting Brighton prospect, Simon Adingra who had his elementary football training at the Right to Dream Academy in Ghana teed up Seb Haller, who cleverly nicked in the second goal to send the home fans into ruptures cheers and jeers.

The host held on to victory, becoming the first country since Egypt in 2006 to win the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as host nation.

READ MORE: AFCON 2023 : Equatorial Guinea captain, Emilio Nsue wins PUMA Golden Boot award

This win also aids them in basking in their third AFCON triumph since their first and second in, 1992,2015.

For Nigeria, they were looking to win the trophy after their last triumph in 2013.

The post AFCON 2023 : Sébastien Haller powers Côte d’Ivoire to victory over Nigeria in finals first appeared on Sahara Football.

Equatorial Guinea captain, Emilio Nsue scooped the top scorer award at the just-ended TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations tournament.

READ MORE: AFCON 2023: Equatorial Guinea captain, Emilio Nsue wins PUMA Golden Boot award

He emerged as the victor of the award with five goals from four games in the tournament.
The highlight of this feat was his first and only hat trick against host Cotê d’Ivoire at the Alassane Outtara Sports Stadium in Abidjan.

Côte d’Ivoire youngster, Simon Adingra, was also named the Best Young Player of the Tournament at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

READ MORE: Former Gambia coach Tom Saintfiet interested in Black Stars job
The young sensation had his elementary football training with Ghana’s Right to Dreams Academy was a breath of fresh air in the games that he played. His dazzling skillset, and mazy runs, which was a consistent worry for any oppositions like Senegal, Mali, DR Congo, and Nigeria he played against in the tournament.

Emerse Fae picked up the Best Coach of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations after historically leading his home nation to an impressive victory on home soil over Nigeria.

READ MORE : AFCON2023: Côte d’Ivoire’s Simon Adingra bags Best Young Player of the Tournament award
The former France youth team coach led his country to victory after former coach, Jean-Louis Gasset was relieved from his duties as the side neared elimination.
Fae managed vital wins against, defending champions, Senegal, Mali, and DR Congo and enthrone it with a dramatic winner over Nigeria in the finals.

Nigeria captain, William Troost-Ekong’s mouthwatering exemplary leadership skills went unnoticed as he ended the night acknowledged as the Best Player of the Tournament.
His exceptional leadership skills at the back saw him carry Nigeria through the group stages to the finals scoring three goals in seven games.

Bafana Bafana shot-stopper, Ronwen Williams’ heroics in the penalty shoot-out against, Equatorial Guinea and DR Congo him eclipse Nigeria’s Stanley Nwabili for the Ecobank Best Goalkeeper of the tournament.

Côte d’Ivoire was the biggest winner of the night as they finished off Nigeria in a three-goal thriller to do the host and win after Egypt in 2026. The win sees them sees them win their third trophy of AFCON since, 1992 and 2015.

TotalEnergies CAF AFCON Cote d’Ivoire 2023 Winners List:

Winner: Cote d’Ivoire
Finalist: Nigeria
Third: South Africa
Fourth: Democratic Republic of Congo
TotalEnergies Best Player: William Troost-Ekong (Nigeria)
Puma Golden Boat: Emilio Nsue Lopez
Best Ecobank Goalkeeper: Ronwen Williams (South Africa)
Fair-Play Air Côte d’Ivoire Team: South Africa

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The tournament which came to an end on Sunday saw the host Cotê d’Ivoire beat Nigeria in a fiercely contested game at the Alassane Outtara Sports Stadium in Abidjan.

READ MORE : AFCON2023: Côte d’Ivoire’s Simon Adingra bags Best Young Player of the Tournament award
Nsue opened his account with the Nzalang Nacional with the tournament’s first and only hatrick Guinea Bissau in the second game of the group stages games.
The forward was however on top of his game yet again with a brace against the host in a thumping 4-0 victory in the last game of the group stages.
Equatorial Guinea was ousted in their round-of-16 tie against Guinea but the captain managed to win the coveted award with five goals followed closely by Angola’s Jacinto Dala with 4 goals.

READ MORE : AFCON 2023 : Côte d’Ivoire boss Emerse Fae wins Best Coach Award
Nsue joins a bandwagon of elite forwards, Samuel Eto’o, Didier Drogba, Vincent Aboubakar, and Odion Ighalo, who bagged the trophy some years ago in the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON tournament.

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The enterprising Ivorian teen sensation was a delight to watch in the finals as he caught the eyes of many at the stadium and beyond with his dazzling skillset, and mazy runs, which was a consistent worry for the Nigeria defense in the entirety of the game. 

READ MORE : AFCON 2023 : Côte d’Ivoire boss Emerse Fae wins Best Coach Award

It was least surprising that he got the first real opportunity of the game in the 8th minute but his shot was equally dealt with by the towering Stanley Nwabili. 

Nigeria went ahead through, Greece defender, William Troost-Ekong’s thumping header minutes before the end of the first half of the final giving the traveling side the lead.  

Franck Kessie was at the right place at the right time in the 62nd minute as he got on to the end of a perfectly weighted cross from Simon Adingra’s corner.

The young sensation who had his elementary football training with Ghana’s Right to Dreams Academy made light work of Ola Aina as he went past him to tee up Sebastian Haller for the match-winner.

READ MORE : Former Gambia coach Tom Saintfiet interested in Black Stars job

The 22-year-old was involved in three goal contributions in five games for the host.

The win sees Côte d’Ivoire, the first country after Egypt in 2006 to do a host and win as well as their third trophy after their earlier ones came in 1992 and 2015.

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The former France international took over the reins of the top job after Jean-Louis Gasset nearly led the host on the brink of elimination after some subpar performance which saw them lose heavily at the hands of Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria. 

READ MORE : Former Gambia coach Tom Saintfiet interested in Black Stars job

Fae had a big mantle against defending champions, Senegal, which he delivered through penalties. 

Followed up with an impressive win over Mali after extra time and a semi-final victory over DR Congo with the winner coming through Sebastian Haller.  

The host faced familiar foes, Nigeria in the finals and this time, captain, William Troost-Ekong put them in front seven minutes before halftime. 

Kessie restored the host on the level in the 62nd minute to send the home fans believing they could win the most coveted trophy on the African continent. 

Brighton player, Adingra, who had been a constant thorn in the flesh of the Super Eagles players teed up Sebastian Haller for the match-winner.

READ MORE : Abdul Fatawu Issahaku reveals why Andre Ayew is his Idol

Fae who has a considerable amount of managerial experience under his belt with France u17 and 21 led the Cocoa growing country to their triumph since their victory over neighboring rivals Ghana in 2015

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According to the statement, The Executive Council has dissolved the technical team of the Black Stars.
READ MORE: Denis Odoi: We conceded stupid goals against Mozambique

Furthermore, the Association will take steps to provide a roadmap for the future direction of the Black Stars.

The 65-year-old was handed the technical reigns of the job almost a year ago, in February 2023 following the resignation of coach Otto Addo after Ghana’s elimination from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where he served in a technical advisory role. 

During his stint with the BlackStars, he supervised, twelve games, won four lost four, and drew four. 

In the recent AFCON elimination, the country failed to win a single game, drawing, Egypt and Mozambique and losing the opening game against Cape Verde. 

READ MORE: Chris Hughton: “I take responsibility for this performance “

Saharafootball.net understands that Herve Renard and former Gambia coach Tom Saintfietare will likely be considered for the job following Hughton’s dismal. 

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The Black Stars shockingly lost to the Blue Sharks for the first time in a game they were hotly tipped to win.

READ MORE: AFCON 2023: Jordan Ayew blames inexperience BlackStars squad for Cape Verde defeat

Ghana was unfortunate to go behind as early as the 17th minute to a Jamiro Monteiro goal in the first half. 

Alexander Djiku pulled the BlackStars parity after rising highest to head home a Jordan Ayew cross but the Blue Sharks will have the final laugh through, substitute, Gary Rodrigues, who tapped into an empty net following a defensive mixup by the West African base country. 

Speaking at the post-match interview, Hughton was left disappointed by the turn of events in the opening game.

“I think it rocked us the goal that we conceded [that early] but I thought that we got back into the game and at that stage, it looked like we could go on and win it,” Hughton said.

“We are hugely disappointed with the result.”

BlackStars will hope for an improved performance as they take on Egypt on Thursday, January 18 in a game they have to win to keep their AFCON hopes alive. 

READ MORE: AFCON 2023: Ghana falls to Cape Verde in Group B

Cape Verde tops Group B with 3 points, Egypt and Mozambique follow up with a point each with Ghana at the base with no point.

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The Black Stars shockingly lost to Cape Verde by 2-1 in a game they were hotly tipped to win against all odds. 

READ MORE: AFCON 2023: Ghana falls to Cape Verde in Group B

Speaking to reporters after the team’s humbling defeat, Jordan, one of the most experienced lads within the setup laid in on the significant lack of experience to have accounted for their opening-day defeat. 

 “We lack a lot of experience. At the end of the day, if you look at the squad that we have, more than 10 [players], this is their first AFCON so this type of mistake will happen and we need to learn and we need to learn quickly because the AFCON is not waiting for anyone”

“We need to stand up and face the reality.” He ended. 

READ MORE: AFCON 2023: Osimhen saves Nigeria in draw with Equatorial Guinea in group opener

Ghana will have to play above their weight levels as they come up against serial AFCON winners Egypt, who are also in dire need of the point after surprisingly drawing their opening game against Mozambique. 

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The BlackStars were in their usual slow to start as they were stunned just 17 minutes after goalkeeper, Richard Ofori parried a shot from the captain, Ryan Mendes who fell kindly to Jameiro Monteiro to bundle home the first goal of the game.

READ MORE: AFCON 2023: Osimhen saves Nigeria in draw with Equatorial Guinea in group opener

Ghana was second best on the day to the Blue Sharks even after they went behind to that shocking goal.

Majeed Ashimeru thought he had scored his first goal for the BlackStars, but it was chalked off after Ransford-Yeboah was adjudged to block the goalkeeper’s view leading to the equalizer.

Djiku rose the highest to head home Jordan Ayew’s corner from the left for the equalizer.

READ MORE: Chris Hughton expresses disappointment and issues apology to Ghanaians following the defeat of the Black Stars by Cape Verde

In what looked like it was ending in a draw for both sides substitute, Gary Rodrigues tapped into an empty net after poor defending in a defense involving Salis, Djiku, and goalkeeper Richard Ofori.

Ghana will have to win against Egypt to harbor hopes of securing qualification for the next round of the tournament.

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