Black Stars head coach Otto Addo has explained his decision to start Hearts of Oak goalkeeper Benjamin Asare in Ghana’s dominant 5-0 victory over Chad in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
The 32-year-old’s inclusion in the starting lineup at the Accra Sports Stadium came as a surprise, but he justified his selection by keeping a clean sheet. Addo revealed that Asare’s performances in training earned him the nod over first-choice goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi.
“We assessed all our goalkeepers and watched several games. It was a close call, but Benjamin stood out in training,” Addo stated.
Ghana put on a ruthless attacking display, overpowering Chad to claim a crucial victory that sent them to the top of Group I. The Black Stars wasted no time, with Antoine Semenyo opening the scoring in the second minute after a goalmouth scramble.
Jordan Ayew missed a close-range chance soon after, but Inaki Williams doubled Ghana’s lead in the 32nd minute with a powerful header from a Kingsley Schindler cross. Ayew then made amends five minutes later, converting a penalty after Semenyo was fouled, giving Ghana a commanding 3-0 lead at halftime.
The Black Stars continued their dominance in the second half. Mohammed Salisu added a fourth with a towering header from an Ernest Nuamah corner, before Nuamah himself sealed the rout in the 69th minute with a composed finish after a clever backheel assist from Ayew.
Otto Addo used the comfortable lead to rotate his squad, handing a debut to Cercle Brugge midfielder Lawrence Agyekum and bringing on Kamaldeen Sulemana, Francis Abu, Jerome Opoku, and Jerry Afriyie. Mohammed Kudus and Afriyie both had late chances to extend the lead, but Ghana’s biggest competitive win since 2020 was already secured.
The emphatic victory also marked Chad’s heaviest competitive defeat since 2015.
Ghana now shifts focus to Monday’s crucial match against Madagascar in Morocco, where a win would further solidify their position in the race for a 2026 World Cup spot.
