Ghana head coach Otto Addo has voiced his frustration following the Black Stars’ disappointing 1-1 draw against Niger in Monday’s 2025 AFCON qualifiers.
The result leaves Ghana in a challenging position as they fight to secure a spot in their 11th consecutive AFCON tournament.
Speaking after the game, Addo did not hold back in expressing his dissatisfaction with his team’s performance, particularly their failure to capitalize on key moments and their defensive lapses, which allowed Niger to equalize late in the game.
“Definitely not, I am not satisfied at all. I am really disappointed, to be honest,” Addo remarked. His frustration was evident, especially considering the preparation and tactical work put into defending set pieces, which ultimately let them down.
“We talked, and we trained on set pieces… and the way they defended in the last 10 minutes was really, really bad,” he added.
Addo acknowledged that the Black Stars had moments of control throughout the game but were undone by lapses in concentration, especially during counterattacks.
“I think in general, we had the game under control. We allowed sometimes some counter situations where we didn’t close the gaps really well, and then we got the lead. I think from that point, things were easier.”
Despite dominating much of the match, Ghana’s inability to convert numerous scoring chances was a key factor in their failure to secure all three points.
“In the second half, we changed some positions and the buildup and also some restrictions to seize moments for our wingers. We had a different setup in the midfield, so it was good.”
Addo noted that while they controlled the second half and created several chances, their inefficiency in front of goal was costly.
“In the second half, we controlled them; we created a lot of chances, which we didn’t use. In the end, these kinds of games are like this.”
The coach further highlighted the competitiveness of international football, acknowledging Niger’s strong counterattacking game.
“There are no cheap teams, every team can play, and Niger also did well, especially in their counterattacks. But I am very, very disappointed with the way we allowed our goals.”
With Ghana now sitting third in Group F, the Black Stars must quickly regroup and find their scoring form ahead of their crucial next match against Sudan. The team’s qualification hopes hang in the balance, and an improvement in both defense and attack is essential for their AFCON campaign.