The Black Stars have failed to secure a spot in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), with head coach Otto Addo pointing to poor home performances as the primary reason for their exit.
Ghana’s hopes of making it to the tournament were extinguished after a 1-1 draw with Angola in their penultimate qualifier at Estádio 11 de Novembro. Entering the match, the team needed a win to keep their chances alive, along with a victory in their final fixture against Niger.
While Sudan’s 4-0 loss to Niger temporarily revived Ghana’s qualification hopes, the Black Stars could not capitalize on the opportunity, leaving them at the bottom of Group F with just two points from five games.
Reflecting on the failed campaign, Coach Addo stressed the critical importance of winning home matches in tournament qualifiers.
“We have to review all the games we played, but especially our home performances,” Addo said. “We lost to Angola at home, a game where we performed better but couldn’t capitalize. In tournaments like this, winning your home games is crucial. Playing away is always more challenging because every team is strong at home.”
Ghana’s home qualifiers yielded a draw and a defeat, leaving them with an uphill battle in away fixtures, where they struggled to gain the necessary results.
With one match remaining against Niger, the game holds no bearing on the team’s fate, marking the end of a disappointing campaign for the Black Stars.
This failure to qualify for AFCON is a significant blow to Ghanaian football, marking the first time in 21 years that the team will miss the continent’s premier tournament.
SOURCE: http://dew360.net
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