Ghana coach Otto Addo has acknowledged that Angola played better during their 1-1 draw in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, which confirmed Ghana’s failure to qualify for the tournament for the first time in 20 years.
The match took place at the 11th November Stadium in Luanda, where Ghana needed a win to keep their qualification hopes alive.
Despite taking an early lead with a stunning free-kick from Jordan Ayew, Ghana could not maintain their advantage as Angola equalised through Zini Cabaca in the 63rd minute.
This result left the Black Stars at the bottom of Group F, having failed to secure a victory in five matches.
In his post-match comments, Addo reflected on the pressure his players faced, stating, “They [Angola] didn’t have anything to lose today; you could see they could play freely, while we were a little bit more under pressure. They pressed us very well and held us down in our half. It was difficult for us to play, but we were missing our intensity, and I think it was not good enough from our side.”
Addo emphasised the importance of winning home games, noting that failing to do so severely impacted their chances.
“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 nati on is strong at home,” he explained.
With no chance of progressing further in the qualifiers, Ghana will now face Niger in their final match on November 18 at the Accra Sports Stadium. However, this game will hold little significance given their confirmed exit from the tournament.
