Black Stars Lost Due To Weakness And Tiredness From Possible Malaria Infection

Former Coach of the Black Stars, Coach E.K Afranie has attributed the failure of the Senior National team to win the opening match of Group C against the Teranga Lions of Senegal to the Malaria infection which has struck down two players. According to him, the playing body of the Black Stars need to be examined by the Medical team for Malaria symptoms because the level of weakness and tiredness exhibited by the players are clear signs of Malaria. Speaking on Oman Fm�s Morning Show, Coach E.K Afrane said the Senegalese team was not a team to have beaten the Black Stars, insisting that the Senior National team lost the game on health grounds. �Their inability to perform can be blamed on the Malaria infection at their camp though only 2 players are affected; it could be that the playing body is affected too. Malaria can make one weak and tired and that could have affected their performance...the Medical team should examine the players to know the number of players who are affected; maybe it is hidden in them and that is why they got tired early and that brought pressure on the defence,� he stated. �The first half of the game was good but the second half was bad due to weakness and tiredness from the Malaria infection and that�s why they couldn�t defend the last 45 minutes. The Senegalese are strong and so if your physical condition is not good enough, you will succumb to their demand; that brought the 2 goals. They capitalized on the fact that the Black Stars were weak and tired and they scored at the dying minute of the game,� he added. He however asserted that the decision of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to go to Europe for the training tour didn�t help the team as it is making it difficult for the players to play in the hot weather after training in the cold weather. He further argued that the formation of the Black Stars Coach, Avram Grant should have changed in the second half when the players started soaking pressure from the Senegalese as the one-top gave room for the Senegal defence to relax and mount support for their attackers, hence the last minute goal to claim the three points.