Ghana winger, Joseph Paintsil has denied assertions that he was substituted during the match against Mozambique due to fatigue.
The 25-year-old who was the team’s brightest spot was taken off at halftime in Ghana’s disappointing 2-2 draw with Mozambique in the final group stage match of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) on Monday night.
With the Black Stars requiring a victory to enhance their chances of advancing to the knockout stage, they initially held a two-goal lead over the Os Mambas.
However, a late collapse saw Ghana concede in additional time, resulting in a draw that places their qualification in jeopardy.
Paintsil’s halftime substitution raised eyebrows, especially after head coach Chris Hughton attributed it to the player appearing “fatigued.”
Despite this explanation, the Genk midfielder dismissed the notion in a post-match reaction. A circulating video on social media captured a disappointed Paintsil responding to the reason behind his substitution, questioning, “What fatigue?”
Notably, Paintsil did not complete a full 90 minutes in any of Ghana’s group-stage matches and was surprisingly left out of the starting lineup in the game against Egypt.
