Ghanaian defender Alexander Djiku delivered a stellar performance in the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Côte d'Ivoire 2023, earning the Man of the Match award despite Ghana's 2-1 loss to Cape Verde in their Group B opener and believe Ghana did not deserve to lose.

Djiku not only scored the equalizer but also demonstrated defensive prowess, making crucial interventions to thwart Cape Verde's scoring opportunities.

His standout display was acknowledged with the Man of the Match accolade.

Expressing his thoughts on the match, Djiku remarked, "We deserved more from the match. Just when we were coming into the game, we conceded the second goal, even though we were on top of the game. We didn't create many chances, we didn’t utilize the few chances we created, it is why we couldn’t win."

Despite the setback, Djiku emphasized his determination to avoid a repeat of Ghana's early elimination in the previous AFCON, stating, "I was in the team during the last AFCON, our elimination in the first round remains the worst memory of my career and I don't want to relive that."

Ghana, currently at the bottom of Group B with zero points, faces the challenge of bouncing back in their upcoming match against Egypt, who secured a 2-2 draw against Mozambique.