Black Stars’ Chris Houghton, Cote d’Ivoire’s Jean-Louis Gasset and The Gambia’s Tom Saintfiet have become the first set of casualties of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations.

Following their ouster from the group stage, Ghana announced on Tuesday that it has relived Hughton of his job. Cote d’Ivoire followed suit yesterday with the dismissal of 70-year-old Gasset, following the hosts defeat by Equatorial Guinea on Monday.

Ghana decided to part ways with Hughton after Cameroon defeated Gambia 3-2 to ensure that the Black Stars could no longer progress to the last 16 as one of the four best third-place teams.

The Black Stars slumped to a 2-1 defeat by Cape Verde in their opening match and then drew with Egypt and Mozambique.

Hughton, the former Tottenham defender and Newcastle and Brighton manager, whose father hailed from Ghana, took over as coach in March, having earlier served as technical advisor to the team at the World Cup in Qatar.

“Chris Hughton has been relieved of his duties as head coach of the senior national team with immediate effect,” the Ghana Football Association said on Tuesday after the team’s elimination was confirmed.

“The executive council has also taken a decision to dissolve the technical team of the Black Stars.

“The Ghana Football Association will in the coming days provide a roadmap on the future direction of the Black Stars.”

Ghana, who reached the World Cup quarterfinals in 2010, also went out of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations at the group stage.

Saintfiet quit earlier on Tuesday after his side finished bottom of Group C.

Cote d’Ivoire sacked Gasset despite not yet being out of the Africa Cup of Nations. They could still progress through to the last-16 of the competition as one of the best third-placed teams but are relying on other results.

His assistant, Ghislain Printant, was also dismissed and Emerse Fae, one of Gasset’s coaches and a former Reading and Cote d’Ivoire midfielder, has been appointed on an interim basis.

The Ivorian Football Federation said it ‘terminated the contracts’ of Gasset and Printant ‘due to insufficient results’.

Gasset won 10 of his 17 games in charge of the country, with two of his four defeats coming at this tournament.

This included the 4-0 loss to Equatorial Guinea, which was the heaviest home defeat in their history, just as they became the first AFCON host to lose two group games since they also did in 1984.

The four best third-placed teams from the six groups progress to the knockout stages and South Africa, Namibia, Tunisia, DR Congo, Zambia and Tanzania could all surpass Cote d’Ivoire’s three points.