ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — Ghana’s president has removed the minister of sports and his deputy from their positions in the wake of the country’s poor performance in the World Cup.

President John Mahama gave no reason for the order, but it comes after the team finished bottom of Group G. It failed to win any games, players went on strike over unpaid fees and two players were indefinitely suspended for insubordination.

In the 2010 World Cup, Ghana advanced to the quarterfinals.

The president’s statement on Saturday said Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah was now a minister of state in the government with his deputy Joseph Yammin sent to the Ashanti region as a regional minister.

Ghana’s World Cup ended Thursday after a 2-1 loss to Portugal in which two of the country’s star players did not participate.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.