Sports
Every word from Otto Addo’s post-Sudan press conference
After seeing us draw 0-0 with Sudan in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers on Thursday, Otto Addo spoke to the press.
He was asked about the positives from the game, the team’s performance, the brilliance of Alidu Seidu, Ibrahim Sulemana, conversion of chances and much more.
Here is everything he had to say:
On analysis of the match
I think everybody saw that we played well. It’s just really, really bad luck. And their goalkeeper did really, really well. Big, big complement to our defence. From the goalkeeper, starting from Ati-zigi, with the defensive line, Alidu Seidu, Alexander Djiku, Gideon Mensah for not allowing the opponents too many counter-attacks, and not allowing them to have too many chances. And those chances they had, they defended well. Also a big, big complement to our defensive midfielders, who really played well. Elisha was exceptional for me, but also Alidu Seidu was exceptional. And then also, Ibrahim Sulemana, in his first game from the beginning, we controlled everything. The only thing which was missing was the goals, and surely we have to work on this. We have a few days to analyse it, how we can score better. The chances were there, a lot of chances, but this is football. This is football, sometimes very, very hard, difficult for us. So now it pains even more. The Niger game pains even more. Bit I think today, we did well.
And there’s nothing much I can say, that’s the result. This is the most important thing in football.
On positives
I think we deserved to win, but we didn’t. And we will stay positive, and we will beat them away. With the same performance, the same passion, the same creativity up front, we will beat them away.
On whether the spirit and commitment was lacking
No
On taking chances
Surely, we will try to train on finishing and give them confidence, that’s all. This was the only thing which was missing. The spirit was good, the passion was there, the defensive discipline was there, they’re just about to finish the action, that’s all. Sudan was very lucky today. Next time we see them in Libya, they won’t be lucky, then we will, that’s all.
On plans for the next game
Look, I’m not interested in any records or whatsoever. I want to win the next game, and then the world looks different, that’s all. All these statistics and this and that, it’s like that. What can I do? We can only look forward and look for the next match and try to score, that’s all. We will try as much as we did today, and then it will be rewarded. That’s all I can say.
On assuring fans of win next week
Look, this assurance that everybody’s talking about, why? For what? This is football. I cannot even assure, maybe God will take me tomorrow and I’m dead. What can I assure? We will try our best. And I know that at the end we’ll be rewarded. And the positive thing is, what I want to tell you, all of you, it’s still in our own hands. We have to win the next game, that’s all. And then still, we are not qualified yet. Then it’s still a long way. It’s going to be very, very tough to the last match, I think. But we will do it. With this performance, again, we will do it in Libya, against Sudan.
On Sudan
Every team is a threat. And they did well in defending today. Especially their goalkeeper did well. But like I said, if we were a little bit more clever in using our chances,we would have won today. And this is what we need to work on. I think we were better. I’m looking at my team and I think we were good. The goalkeeper defended well. But we created so many chances. I can’t say they had a good performance. The only good thing they had is the point they took. And there we have to work on it. As I said before, we have to work on winning games. We have to win the next game to stay in the race.
On team mentality going into the next game
This is one of the things that every team is trying to do. The players do everything they can to help us. It’s one of the main things we need to do. They show on international level that they can score and I believe in them that they will score in the next game.
Already relegated Eleven Wonders FC return to action on Friday with a determined quest to salvage pride as they host Bechem United FC at the Swedru Sports Stadium in the Premier League.
Despite their confirmed drop, Eleven Wonders remain committed to finishing the season on a competitive note. However, their campaign has been a difficult one, reflected in their poor run of form.
They are winless in their last five league matches, managing just a single draw against FC Samartex 1996 while suffering four defeats.
The numbers further highlight their struggles this season. With only 10 points from 28 matches, Eleven Wonders sit at the bottom of the table, having scored the fewest goals (17) and conceded the most (53) in the league.
Their home performances have offered little relief, with just one win, one draw, and three consecutive defeats in their last five matches on home soil—making them the weakest home side in the competition.
In contrast, Bechem United travel to Swedru with renewed confidence.
The Hunters have shown encouraging improvement, picking up points in four of their last five matches, including back-to-back 2-1 victories, two draws, and just one defeat. They currently sit 13th on the table with 37 points from 28 games, albeit with a game in hand over some of their rivals.
Having scored 25 goals and conceded 31 this season, Bechem United remain locked in a tense battle to avoid relegation, sitting just two points above the drop zone. While their recent form is promising, their away record remains a concern.
They have managed just one win, two draws, and ten defeats in 13 away matches this season.
That solitary away victory came in a crucial 2-1 triumph over FC Samartex 1996 at the Nsenkyire Sports Arena on matchday 27—a result they will look to build upon as they aim to secure valuable points on the road.
The Black Queens will on Wednesday, April 29, learn their opponents for the African qualifying phase of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games Women’s Football Tournament.
The draw, organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), will take place at CAF headquarters in Cairo and will be streamed live on CAF TV from 15:00 local time (12:00 GMT).
Ghana is among 35 national teams participating in the qualification campaign, which will determine the two African representatives for the women’s football tournament at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, scheduled for July 11 to 29, 2028.
The qualification series will be played over five rounds, with each nation aiming to secure one of the two available slots for Africa at the global event in Los Angeles.
Having recently climbed to 59th in the latest FIFA Women’s World Rankings and currently ranked third in Africa, the draw marks the beginning of another major international mission, the quest to seek a return to Olympic football.
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