Defender Jonathan Mensah has explained his early substitution in Ghana’s 2-0 victory over Comoros in the 2018 World Cup qualifier was a precautionary measure.
The centre-back limped off with what appeared to a hamstring strain close to the half-hour mark and was replaced by Daniel Amartey in the encounter at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi.
“It was just some precaution. I felt some strain in my muscle and I just needed to prevent myself from any injury that is why I came off. I hope it is anything bad. I don’t feel any hard pains [now],” the Evian defender who recently returned from a four-month FIFA ban said after the game.
Ghana had taken the lead through a Mubarak Wakaso free kick before Mensah’s withdrawal and sealed victory with a Jordan Ayew effort ten minutes from time.
Mensah who has two World Cups under his belt admits the qualifying process to the Russia competition is getting more difficult and the Black Stars will take the games as they come.
“It is getting tougher and we are also getting better every game we play. We will take it [the qualifiers] game after game.”
“We all saw the Comoros team – they play very good and the most important thing was we wanted to win and we won the game. That is the most important thing for us and Ghanaians,” he said.
Ghana is one of 20 African countries to advance to the group stage where a draw will see them divided into five groups of four teams. The team to emerge tops of each group win a ticket to Russia 2018.
