Sports
Introduction of new faces, a boost for Black Stars team building – Otto Addo
Black Stars coach Otto Addo believes this is the ideal time to give opportunities to players who have been on his radar for months.
The former Ghana winger has included five debutants in his squad for the Unity Cup, while Kamal Deen Sulemana, Ernest Nuamah, Antoine Semenyo and Mohammed Kudus are among those left out due to minor knocks and injury setbacks.
Otto Addo will lead Ghana in the Unity Cup, following recent wins against Chad and Madagascar that kept the team atop the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers log.
“These two matches are extremely important for the team, just like the FIFA World Cup qualifiers in September. I believe this is the perfect time to closely observe the players we’ve been monitoring over the last few months’’ he told ghanafa.org.
‘’Team building is a process that takes time, and it’s not something that happens overnight. Therefore, this is a great opportunity to give some of our young players a chance to prove themselves. Our aim is to create competition within the team, which can only be achieved by providing an equal platform for all our talents to showcase their skills’’
‘’We’re looking beyond individuals, and focusing on building a strong team, that’s why I’ve decided to give many of these young players a chance to play and prove themselves, with the aim of making them a key part of my team going forward”.
”The Unity Cup comes at a crucial time for us, and we want to make the most of it. We’re excited to welcome back players who have been absent for months due to various reasons, as well as integrate new players into the team.” Otto Addo added.
Ghana will take on Nigeria at the GTech Community Stadium in West London on Wednesday, May 28, for a slot in the final on Saturday, May 31, 2025.
Black Stars captain Jordan Ayew says Ghana will leave nothing on the pitch when they face England in today’s World Cup Group L decider at Gillette Stadium.
With both teams on 3 points, Ayew said his job is to ease pressure on the younger players and hold everyone accountable, himself included.
“I’m doing my best to guide the boys, make them comfortable, take pressure off them, and help us perform,” Ayew told reporters. “I have to perform too. They have to perform too. It’s teamwork. We’re helping each other.”
Ghana come into the Foxborough clash after a 1-0 win over Panama in Toronto. England beat Croatia 4-2 in their opener.
The captain’s message was simple, “We’re going to give our 100% and we’re going to fight. I’ll make sure when we come off that pitch, we have no regrets.”
The winner takes control of Group L. Kickoff is 4:00 PM ET at Gillette Stadium.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Black Stars forward Brandon Thomas-Asante insists Ghana will carry no pressure into Tuesday’s World Cup showdown with England at Boston Stadium, saying the team’s self-belief and sense of purpose outweigh outside expectations.
Brandon provided a 95th minute assist that helped Ghana beat Panama 1-0 in Toronto.
The win left both Ghana and England level on three points in Group L following the Three Lions 4-2 over Croatia in their opening match.
Speaking to ghanafa.org Thomas-Asante is adamant that external doubt only fuels the squad.
“Everything to the best ability, it’s very much a case of we back ourselves, we believe in ourselves. Whether people on the outside doubt us, believe us, or anything that’s not what we think about. We think about why we’re here. We’re on a mission,” Thomas-Asante said.
The Coventry City forward said that mission removes any weight of expectation. “That means there’s no pressure. It’s even less pressure for us,” he explained.
“We know our fans believe, but we know that some people might want to overlook us. We use that to our advantage preparing properly and believing that we can go and do something,” He added.
England and Ghana both sit on three points heading into the Foxborough clash, with the winner set to take control of Group L. Kickoff at Boston Stadium on Tuesday.
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