Queiroz blames immaturity for Ghana exit

KANSAS CITY: Ghana's lack of experience and inability ​to stay calm ​under pressure were decisive factors in the 1-0 defeat by Colombia that sealed their World Cup elimination, manager Carlos Queiroz said after the round-of-32 loss.
Jhon Arias scored Colombia's only goal ⁠in the 14th minute, shortly after the ⁠African team were forced into a defensive reshuffle when right-back Marvin Senaya went off injured and was replaced by ‌Alidu Seidu.
* 'I felt really quickly ​that some of ⁠the Ghanaian players were fearful. They ​were not cool, calm, ‌and collected when the pressure hit,' Queiroz said.

* 'It's a very young ​team. We need more experience, we need time for some players to win what we call maturity,' the 73-year-old Portuguese manager added.
* 'When you play this kind of competition ‌at this level, you cannot only count on ​the enthusiasm of the youths,' he said.
* Queiroz ​said ‌Colombia ⁠were the better team on the night and deserved to move forward.
* 'The goal came too early for ​us ... It took some time for ⁠us to ​adjust and recover from that substitution, and the goal came at the moment we were trying to resettle our team,' Queiroz said.
* The Ghana ​coach acknowledged his side improved in the ​second half, but were never in control of the match. — Reuters