"We Were Not Good Enough": Ghana Coach Otto Addo on Angola Defeat

• Former African champions, Ghana, will not be at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco next year
• The Black Stars failed to qualify for the tournament after a 1-1 draw with Angola in Luanda on Friday
• The Black Stars will host Niger in the final game of the qualifiers on Monday at the Accra Sports Stadium

Ghana head coach Otto Addo has acknowledged that Ghana’s display against Angola in their penultimate 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier was far from satisfactory.

The four-time Africa Cup of Nations champions saw their 2025 qualification hopes dashed after a 1-1 draw with Angola on Friday night.

Needing a win to keep their chances alive in Group F, the Black Stars fell short, failing to extend their campaign to the final round of qualifiers.

Jordan Ayew’s brilliant free-kick gave Ghana the lead, but it was soon nullified by a strike from AEK Athens forward Zine, leaving the West African giants unable to secure the vital victory.

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Otto Addo admits Ghana were second best

Reflecting on the game, Addo admitted his side struggled under pressure and failed to rise to the occasion.

“They didn’t have anything to lose today, you could see. They could play freely, while we were a little bit more under pressure,” Addo said post-match via Ghanasoccernet.

“They pressed us very well, held us down in our half, and it was difficult for us today. But we were missing our intensity, and I think it was not good enough from our side.”

The Black Stars had to secure back-to-back wins against Angola and Niger to stand any chance of progressing, especially after Nigeria’s shock 4-0 thrashing of Sudan.

However, with qualification now out of reach, their final game against Niger in Accra holds no competitive significance.

This marks a historic low for Ghana, as they fail to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in 20 years, per ESPN.

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Ayew scores a beautiful freekick

Earlier, Yen.com.gh reported that Leicester City forward Jordan Ayew has given Ghana the lead in their penultimate Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Angola after scoring a fine freekick to open the scoring.

The Black Stars, who desperately need a win to keep their qualification hopes alive, responded to the pressure early in the game after the captain bent in a fabulous freekick after just 16 minutes.

The Angolans, largely missing in the early exchanges, were immediately awoken from their slumber as they began to put some pressure on the Black Stars team.

Source: YEN.com.gh