Black Stars head coach Otto Addo has admitted that his team was “not good enough” after Ghana failed to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in 21 years.
Ghana’s 1-1 draw against Angola on matchday five of the qualifiers sealed their fate, marking an end to their proud run of appearances at the continental tournament since 2006.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Addo acknowledged the team’s shortcomings and congratulated Angola for securing qualification.
“There’s not much to say. Congratulations to Angola for qualifying for the AFCON. They didn’t have to lose today. You could see they played freely; we were more under pressure, and they pressed us very well and held us down in our half,” Addo said.
The Black Stars managed only three draws and suffered two defeats in a group that featured Angola, Sudan, and Niger, leaving them with no chance of progressing to the tournament in Morocco next year.
Reflecting on the performance, Addo pinpointed a lack of intensity and focus as significant factors in Ghana’s failure.
“We were missing our intensity, and I think it was not good enough from our side,” he admitted.
Addo also highlighted Ghana’s inability to capitalise on home advantage during the qualifiers, a crucial aspect in tournaments of this nature.
“In general, we have to look at all the games we played, especially our home games. We lost to Angola, where we were better. In these tournaments, you have to win your home games; very, very important.
“And if you don’t win, it is always difficult to play away and try to win because every nation is strong at home,” he explained.
The historic failure has left Ghanaian fans disheartened, with many calling for a review of the team’s performance and direction. For Addo, the focus now turns to rebuilding and addressing the weaknesses that led to this disappointing outcome.
The Black Stars will play their final qualifying match against Niger in Accra, but for the first time in two decades, the fixture will be a mere formality.
