Kwesi Appiah has shared details of his interaction with Black Stars coach Otto Addo following the first leg of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier between Ghana and Sudan.
The match, held in Accra, ended in a goalless draw, with the Black Stars failing to capitalize on several scoring opportunities. Frustrated by the outcome, Otto Addo told the press that his team was simply unlucky not to secure all three points.
According to Appiah, who was coaching Sudan at the time, Addo also expressed his views directly to him during a post-match visit.
“After the game in Accra, I went to Ghana’s dressing room to exchange pleasantries with the players and technical staff,” Appiah revealed on the BKB Show, as quoted by Ghanamma. “When I got there, Otto Addo told me we were lucky. He also warned me that we will not be lucky in Libya.”
Instead of being discouraged, Appiah used Addo’s comments as a source of motivation for his team. Three days later, Sudan stunned Ghana with a 2-0 victory in Benghazi, Libya.
“This is football. I took it as motivation, and I told my players about the encounter,” Appiah added.
The victory secured Sudan’s qualification for the upcoming AFCON tournament in Morocco, as they claimed second place in Group F ahead of both Ghana and Niger. Meanwhile, the Black Stars’ failure to qualify has sparked widespread disappointment and introspection within Ghanaian football.
