"GFA Owns Players in the National Teams": Derek Boateng on Ghana's Failure at AFCON U23

• Derek Boateng has blamed the GFA for Ghana's poor AFCON U23 tournament
• The Black Meteors failed to qualify for the Olympic Games after their group stage elimination
• Ghana drew against Guinea in their final group game in Morocco

Former Ghana midfielder, Derek Boateng has accused of the Football Association of influencing player selection in the various national teams.

His comment comes after the Black Meteors' disastrous showing at the Africa U23 Cup of Nations, where Ghana got eliminated from the group stage.

It is the third major tournament in the last 12 months that Ghana has failed to progress beyond the group stage. The Black Stars were booted out of the group stages of AFCON 2021 and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Boateng, who was a member of the Black Stars team at the 2006 and 2010 World Cup, lays blame at the door steps of the federation.

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“The FA owns a lot of players in the national teams and that’s why we don’t perform,” he said on Joy Sports Link.

“When CK [Akonnor] was there, the FA were telling him the kind of players he should call and when things didn’t go well they kicked him out.”

The draw against Guinea means the Black Meteors will not be at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, as reported by Happy Ghana.

Gyan blasts Black Meteors players

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Former Ghana captain, Asamoah Gyan has expressed disappointment following the Black Meteors' early exit from the Africa U23 Cup of Nations.

The Ghana U23 team failed to qualify for next summer's Olympic Games after a 1-1 draw against Guinea in their final Group A game.

Having finished the tournament with four points, same as Guinea, the Black Meteors were beaten to a semi-final spot by their West African rivals on goal difference rule.

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Ghana eliminated from AFCON U23

Ghana have been dumped out of the Africa U23 Cup of Nations after a 1-1 draw against Guinea in their final group game.

Emmanuel Yeboah's goal in the first-half was not enough as Ibrahim Fofana netted a stunning volley to send Guinea through to the semi-finals.

Following a sluggish start from both sides, it was the Guineans that came close after Ousmane Camara's goal-bound shot was stopped by his own teammate on the line.