Ghana Football Association (GFA) President, Kurt Okraku, has expressed his dissatisfaction with the performance of the Black Stars following their 1-1 draw against Niger in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers last month.
Okraku went as far as claiming that some players in Niger’s squad would not meet the standard to play for his own club.
The match, which followed Ghana’s disappointing 1-0 loss to Angola, left the Black Stars with just one point from two games, drawing heavy criticism from fans and pundits alike. Speaking to the team on October 8, Okraku stressed that Niger did not deserve to take points from Ghana, given the perceived disparity in talent.
“Four or five of the players in that [Niger] squad cannot play in my club. That is the truth. But Ghana played 1-1 against Niger,” Okraku remarked, showing his frustration over the result.
He also criticized the lack of passion and energy shown by the Black Stars during the match, stating, “What did we see? We saw a Black Stars team without energy, without passion [and] without the desire to play. It’s not possible like this.”
With their AFCON qualifying campaign in jeopardy, the Black Stars now face a crucial doubleheader against Sudan. They will play at the Accra Sports Stadium on October 10 before traveling to Libya for the return fixture on October 15.
