2019 AFCON: No excuse for Ghana elimination - Asamoah Gyan

Veteran Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan has stated they must take responsibility for their Round of 16 exit from the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

The Black Stars' hopes of ruling the continent was smashed by Tunisia, following a 5-4 penalty shootout defeat to Tunisia on Monday.

“There were so many countries that were underestimated but now people have to respect what football is about,” Gyan told Goal.

“You cannot underestimate any country. Everybody is improving now. Everybody is here to win the cup, we have been eliminated, no excuses.

“We played our game but we’re just eliminated.”

The 2019 event is the first time since 2006 that the Black Stars will not be playing in the quarterfinals at Afcon.

“It’s quite disappointing,” Gyan - who featured in Ghana’s second and last matches, against Cameroon and Tunisia - lamented.

“For the past eight years we’ve been to the semi-final so it’s rather unfortunate to be eliminated that early.

“We’re sad, we don’t deserve that but this is football. The host nation has [been eliminated], this is football for you.”

“The tournament is over for us. We have to go home, players have to go to their clubs.

“I think some have to go on holidays for some days before they join their clubs. We don’t have to be down.

“We’ve got a lot of young players who want to do something in the future so we just have to support them and see what happens.”

Ghana will be hoping to make amends at the next Afcon in Cameroon in 2021.