Scary scenes at AFCON as Ghana coach Chris Hughton is attacked by fan at team’s hotel following shock defeat to Cape Verde

The former Nottingham Forest and Brighton boss saw his side suffer a dramatic 2-1 reversal in their opening game of the Africa Cup of Nations. The Black Stars were subjected to late heartache in that contest, as Garry Rodrigues grabbed a 92nd-minute winner, and frustrated supporters were caught on camera airing their frustration in the direction of those on the field and bench.

Some supporters took their anger out on Hughton at the hotel where Ghana’s squad is based, with mixed reports shedding light on confrontations that required security forces to step in. Journalist Saddick Adams has claimed on social media that: “One member of the Ghanaian supporters in Abidjan has been arrested for an attack on coach Chris Hughton at the team's hotel. It took the intervention of some Ghanaian diplomats who were around to save the coach. The unidentified man has been handed to the Ivorian Police.”

Those claims have been contradicted by Muftawu Nabila Abdulai, who said in his own post on X: “[I'm] told supporter was angry and used foul words on Chris Hughton and security took him away, but he's not been arrested. In fact, there was no contact with the coach.”

Hughton told reporters of seeing his side come unstuck against Cape Verde: “We are incredibly hugely disappointed with the result. We came into the game with a game plan to start on the front foot. We thought the team that were put out was certainly a more offensive team. This was our intention. I think it rocked us the goal that we conceded but I thought we got back into the game. At that stage it looked like we could go on and win it. We are hugely, hugely disappointed with our result. And I know and this group of players also know how the Ghanaian people see this game, see this tournament and our expectations going into this one. It's a defeat we're hugely disappointed with.”

Hughton took charge of the Ghana national side in March 2023 following a spell as the team’s technical coach. He has won just four of his 11 games at the helm, with four defeats suffered alongside three draws. The Black Stars will be back in AFCON action on Thursday when facing Mohamed Salah’s Egypt.