Otto Addo Attributes Ghana’s Unity Cup Loss to Nigeria’s Superior Experience
Black Stars head coach Otto Addo has pointed to Nigeria’s superior experience as a key factor in Ghana’s 2-1 loss in the Unity Cup semifinal on Wednesday night at the GTech Community Stadium in London.
Reflecting on the match during his post-game press conference, Addo acknowledged the challenges his side faced, particularly due to the inexperience of several debutants and the lack of cohesion in the squad.
“Like I said, it’s not always easy, especially when we have players that haven’t often played together,” Addo admitted. “I think Nigeria had a more mature team that could adapt faster. We had problems getting into the duels to press well, but also to defend well.”
Ghana’s lineup featured a number of first-time senior international players, including Aaron Essel, Christopher Bonsu Baah, Caleb Yirenkyi, and Mohammed Fuseini.
Despite the setback, Addo drew positives from the performance, particularly in the second half when the Black Stars improved significantly. West Bromwich Albion forward Brandon Thomas-Asante marked his debut with a well-taken goal, giving Ghana a lifeline and sparking a late push for an equaliser.
Nigeria’s victory sets up a final clash with Jamaica, who beat Trinidad and Tobago 3-2 in the other semifinal. Ghana will now face the Soca Warriors in the third-place playoff on Saturday.
