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Black Stars urged to learn from Argentina, who lost first game and still won World Cup

1978 AFCON winner Willie Klutse has advised the Black Stars to learn from Argentina’s success at the Qatar 2022 World Cup despite losing their opening game.
Black Stars urged to learn from Argentina, who lost first game and still won World Cup
Black Stars urged to learn from Argentina, who lost first game and still won World Cup

Lionel Messi and co. lost to Saudi Arabia in their opening group game of that tournament but recovered to conquer all before them.

Argentina went on to beat France on penalties in the final to be crowned World champions for the first time since 1986.

Ghana currently find themselves in a similar situation, having failed to win any of their first two group matches at the 2023 AFCON.

However, the Black Stars have an opportunity to make amends ahead of their crucial final Group B game against Mozambique on Monday evening.

A win would take the Black Stars to four points, which could just be enough to secure them second place or one of the best four third-place slots.

Ahead of the game, some Ghanaian legends who previously won the AFCON visited the national team to share some advice with them.

Klutse said all was not lost yet and urged the team to learn from Argentina’s World Cup success as they go into the Mozambique clash.

“We let them know that all is not lost. We referred them to the past World Cup in Qatar, where Argentina lost their first game but went on to win the trophy, so it's possible,” the 1978 AFCON winner told 3Sports.

“The whole thing is they should focus and set their mind to achieving something for themselves and the nation because the whole nation is looking up to them and they are capable of doing it.

“The first game they lost focus because they thought the game was over so they relaxed. They tried to work in the second game, but the same thing. When they went ahead, they lost focus again, they had to work hard and come back and then they lost their focus again.”

Meanwhile, Ghana will be looking to avoid a second successive group-stage exit at the AFCON.

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