How Afriyie Barnieh allegedly masterminded Emmanuel Yeboah's strange substitution at U-23 AFCON

In the second half of Ghana’s 1-1 drawn game with Guinea at the just-ended Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations, there was a second-half substitution by coach Ibrahim Tanko that shocked Ghanaians.

Emmanuel Yeboah who was Ghana’s highest scorer in the competition was subbed in the second half, much to the dismay of Ghanaians who believed he was the team’s biggest goal threat.

The head of Onua Sports, Alfredo who was in Morocco for the tournament has provided a context to the strange tactical call by coach Ibrahim Tanko.

According to him, coach Ibrahim Tanko rang the change after Afriyie Barnieh told him that the player was injured.

“I sat close to the technical area of the Black Stars so I could see and hear everything. Afriyie Barnieh left the 18-yard box to inform coach Tanko that the player was injured so he should be subbed. The coach was bringing on Nuamah so Barnieh was going to be subbed so he quickly informed the coach Yeboah was injured.

“To all those who were complaining about the subs, Afriyie Barnieh was the one behind it. When the player was asked, he insisted that he had received a knock but could continue. He was however subbed because of Afriyie Barnieh. The boy was the first player to leave the dressing room after the game and he was weeping uncontrollably. He had to be psyched and encouraged by a colleague journalist,” he said.

The Black Meteors exited the 2023 AFCON at the group phase after winning, drawing, and losing each of their three group games.

After a 3-2 victory over Congo, the Meteors were drubbed 5-0 by Morocco before drawing 1-1 with Guinea.

The draw with Guinea meant that Ghana’s four points were not enough to send the country to the next round of the tournament which was eventually won by Morocco.