Black Stars Head Coach Otto Addo has expressed confidence in his team’s ability to return to winning ways as Ghana prepares to face Mali in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
The optimism comes after Ghana’s shock draw against Chad in their previous fixture—a result that disappointed fans and players alike. Despite the setback, the Black Stars remain top of Group I with 16 points, just one point ahead of second-placed Comoros, while Madagascar sit third with 13 points and Mali closely behind with 12. The Central African Republic have 5 points, with Chad at the bottom of the table on 1 point.
Otto Addo admitted that the team fell short of expectations in the Chad game but stressed that valuable lessons had been learned.
“The entire team felt very disappointed after the draw against Chad because there were high expectations for us to win. We have analysed the game very well and hope we have learnt from this,” he said.
He added that the home advantage and fan support would be key against Mali.
“Surely it is easy to play at home with our spectators supporting us and players giving their maximum best. I expect something different from the players this time around, and I hope we learnt from our mistake against Chad. The good thing is we still have it in our own hands and we have to keep the pace high. It will be very difficult against Mali who are in good shape.”
Responding to questions about his future should Ghana fail to secure a positive result, Addo dismissed speculation, saying his focus remains on guiding the team to victory.
“My statistics with the Black Stars are not the issue. The most important thing is to win tomorrow’s game against Mali, and that is what we will do,” he assured.
Ghana will be without Sulemana Ibrahim (injury) and Elisha Owusu (suspension) for the crucial clash. Despite the absentees, Addo is confident that the squad depth will carry the team through.
The Black Stars vs Mali match is scheduled to kick off at 19:00 GMT on Monday. A win would not only strengthen Ghana’s grip on top spot but also move the team closer to securing a ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
