Ghana fires coach Stevanovic

The Ghana Football Association has fired coach Goran Stevanovic in the wake of the team's semifinal defeat to Zambia in the African Cup of Nations in February.

It was the team's first loss under Stevanovic, who took over in January 2011.

Assistant coach Kwesi Appiah will take temporary charge of the team until a replacement is found.

GFA spokesman Sanni Diarra told the Associated Press that ''the decision comes after three weeks of extensive meetings to ensure that the best decision is taken in the best interest of the nation.''

Stevanovic says his firing was unexpected.

The Serbian coach says ''in football there is a lot of stress and it is unpredictable. I am more surprised, I am not disappointed. It is normal in our lives.''