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Cautious optimism is what best describes the GhanaWeb newsroom ahead of the Black Stars match against the Atlas Lions of Morocco in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.



Read full articleBar a few members of the editorial team who predicted victory for Morocco, a chunk of the staff were cautiously optimistic that Milovan Rajevac’s men were going to topple their North African opponents.

Despite their admission that the team is bereft of the quality it possessed some years ago, they were confident that Black Stars would at least salvage a point against the in-form Moroccan side.

Their positive conviction was fuelled more by hope and love for their country Ghana than a realistic assessment of the strength and weaknesses of the two teams.

As captured by the head of the entertainment desk, Abrantepa Benefo Buabeng, “we know the team is not that solid but as Ghanaians, we have no option but to support them”.

As it turned out, the Black Stars pierced a knife through the hearts of expectant GhanaWeb staff and Ghanaians in general with a late goal from Morocco.

An 81st-minute goal by Sofiane Boufal ensured that the Moroccan picked three valuable points at the expense of the Black Stars.

From when Boufal’s lethal strike hit the back of the net, the GhanaWeb newsroom slumped into silence with disappointment written all over the faces of the reporters.

The head of the entertainment desk was pacing up and down in the studio in anger, slating coach Milovan Rajevac for not ringing changes early in the game.

Perez Erzoah-Kwaw, the summarizer of the day, could not hold back as he fired Thomas Partey for error leading to the goal.

Commentator, Joel Eshun was equally disappointed, displaying his Ghanaian bias as he criticised the coach and some of the top players in the team for not showing up.

Joseph Adamafio of the sports desk who was on assignment returned to the office and had to be impressed upon to keep his Black Stars jersey on instead of walking home bare-chested.

Paulina Dedaa Opoku, the host of Moans and Cuddles and a member of the entertainment team was undoubtedly the most disappointed Ghanaian on the night.

From when the ball hit the back of the net to when the referee whistled for the end of the game, Paulina could not utter a word. The bubbly personality was utterly disheartened.

Motionless, she laid in her seat almost thirty minutes after the game as she was being mocked by her colleague Elsie who was one of three reporters who predicted a win for Morocco.

Watch predictions by GhanaWeb staff ahead of the game