Following Ghana’s hard-fought 4-3 victory over the Central African Republic in the 2026 World Cup qualifying match, coach Otto Addo has openly acknowledged responsibility for his team’s lackluster first-half performance at the Baba Yara Stadium.
Despite taking an early lead through Jordan Ayew, the Black Stars found themselves trailing at halftime after conceding two goals to Louis Mafouta. Addo attributed his side’s difficulties in controlling possession and creating opportunities to his own decisions, admitting fault for the subpar showing.
“We had problems in the first half controlling the ball and finding solutions upfront. I take the blame,” Addo conceded during the post-match press conference.
Acknowledging the limited preparation time, Addo reflected on the challenges of implementing tactical adjustments with limited training sessions. However, he expressed confidence in his team’s ability to adapt, evident in their resilient second-half display.
“Maybe I wanted us to do too much though we had few days of training. I adjusted in the second half and deserved to win,” Addo remarked, emphasizing the positive response from his players in the latter stages of the game.
With the victory, Ghana maintains its position at the top of Group I, amassing nine points from four games, three points clear of contenders Madagascar and Comoros, who have played one match less. Despite the early struggles, Addo’s willingness to take accountability and adaptability bode well for the Black Stars’ World Cup qualifying campaign.
