Sports
Every word from Otto Addo’s pre-Sudan press conference
Otto Addo spoke to the media team on Monday, the day before we tackle Sudan in a Matchday 4 TotalEnergies 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at Benina Martyrs Stadium in Libya.
He touched on belief, team spirit and passion in the qualifiers against Angola and Sudan, players reaction after the brilliant performance on Thursday, our strength and much more.
Read on for the full transcript:
On preparation and focus ahead of Tuesday
I was very satisfied with the training. I think the boys adapted well. They are already; they are willing to show what they can and to take the last result out of their heads. And I think it’s obvious that we need goals. We created a lot of chances against Angola. We deserved to win this game.
We didn’t play well against Niger. In the last game, I think we also deserved to win. Very unlucky, but there’s a speech in German, like, alle guten Dinge sind drei. So I think English is three times lucky. So I think we had two good games with Angola and also our last game with Sudan at home. And this is the third game now. And when we play the way we played the last game, we will win.
On what the team needs to return to winning ways
I think in Ghana it’s the same. The same impression. I think it was good that Angola won. If Niger would have won, it would have been put them ahead of us, and that would have been bad, I think. And now the situation is still in our hands and we need to win this very match tomorrow. And once we are second, I think we all know and we saw that we can beat all of those teams we played against. (1:40) But once we are second, I think it’s still in our own hands and this is what we are looking for. So we’re looking for tomorrow’s win and then we’ll be back on track.
On missing chances
I think we showed it in the last game. We don’t have to look too much back. I think the last game was, in terms of passion and willingness to win, it was there. But just the last thing was missing and this is to score goals. I think the boys are mentally ready and this is the only thing which is missing.
We have to score and we have to score and we have to believe in ourselves. This is very important. With this belief, goals will come. We just surely have to show consistency. Especially with the national team, there’s no time.
At the end, it’s all about success and all about winning and we have to show it. We didn’t win the last game or the last three games, so it’s time to win.
On what he expects from players by way of reaction
Like I said before, everything is there. The passion, the way we played, we created a lot of chances. We had a lot of corners and the players have to reward themselves for their performance and the hard work they’re showing.
It’s needed now. Like I said, everybody needs to step up. All the players need to push each other and those who are starting, those who are not starting. We need to believe in ourselves, push ourselves and trust ourselves and make each of us stronger. Then I think the goals will come by themselves.
On our strength
We have a good team structure, we have good players individually and now it’s about putting things together. It doesn’t mean like almost all the games we played well. This is normal, we can have bad games, but now it’s about to give this extra to win this game. To reward ourselves for the hard work and for the game the boys play. This is very important and with this, the vulnerabilities will come. I’m very sure that if we win this game, there’s more to come. We can pick up from the last game and bring the same attitude, the same defensive discipline, but also the same offensive actions to create chances. If we do this and do this consistently, this Sudan wall will break and we will score.
It’s about keeping the fire alive, it’s about believing and it’s about to know your own strength. Once we put it in our tactical togetherness and we know what the others are doing and we know what might happen, then we are there and we will fulfill our dream to win this game.
On luck being a factor in tomorrow’s game
It’s part of football, sometimes you’re lucky, sometimes you’re unlucky. It belongs to the game, but the probability is very high that you can’t be three times in a row unlucky.
I’m sure that, like I said, if we show the same attitude towards this game, the same beliefs, we have to be mentally strong, then I’m very sure we will win this game. The last game gives me really big confidence that we can do it.
A Ghana Premier League (GPL) thriller is anticipated at the Baba Yara Stadium tomorrow as Asante Kotoko welcome Medeama SC for their week 12 top-liner.
Fourth placed Kotoko sits two points below Medeama SC who are third on the log. Their position on the log further adds another layer to the fiercest battle expected to unfold.
Before their second round game last season, the two sides shared two wins apiece in their last four league meetings in Kumasi. However, Coach Abdul Karim Zito inflicted a 3-2 victory on the Yellow and Mauves side with former striker Albert Amoah grabbing all three goals.
Tomorrow, Amoah will not be in action and since his departure from the club, Coach Zito’s side have found the going tough in front of goal, a factor that could determine this game.
Kotoko go into tomorrow’s fixture on the back of losing their unbeaten run in 11 games after being beaten 2-1 by Basake Holy Stars on Wednesday in their outstanding Week 3 league fixture.
Before that clash, the University of Ghana Sports Stadium will today host the game between Hearts of Oak and Vision FC.
Hearts coach Mas-Ud Didi Dramani hopes his side will carry the day after two draws on the road while coach Nana Kweku Agyemang of Vision FC is also aiming to pick his first victory over the Phobians.
League leaders Aduana FC will trek to the Bibiani Dun’s Park to play as guests of Bibiani Gold Stars tomorrow while second placed Heart of Lions welcome Karela United to the Kpando Stadium.
At the Nana Fosu Gyeabour Park, Bechem United will welcome Hohoe United, Berekum Chelsea will face Samartex FC at the Golden City Park in Berekum while Basake Holy Stars will host Nations FC at the Ampian AAK II Sports Arena in Azulewanu.
In other games, Swedru All Blacks will host Young Apostles at the Swedru Stadium with Eleven Wonders chasing their first victory of the season against Dreams FC on Monday at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
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Government has injected more than 3.4 billion cedis into the National Health Insurance Scheme after the removal of the cap on NHIS funding.
The Deputy Chief Executive responsible for Operations, Dr Senanu Kwesi Djokoto, told staff in Tamale that the move is the biggest investment in the Scheme since it was created in 2003.
He explained that the additional funds are already strengthening health financing across the country.
Dr Kwesi Djokoto addressed a trainer of trainers workshop on the ongoing reforms of the National Health Insurance Authority on Friday, November 21.
He noted that in 2024 the Scheme used 52 percent of its resources on claims and is using 65 percent this year, with plans to increase that figure again next year.
He explained that Executive Management, led by Chief Executive Dr Victor Asare Bampoe, is working to build a modern and efficient Scheme that focuses on people and meets its promise of providing fair access to quality health care.
Dr Kwesi Djokoto also outlined the Authority’s digital reforms, which are meant to bring health services closer to members and make the Scheme more resilient.
The initiatives form part of the Telehealth strategy and include the E pharmacy platform, which links patients to nearby pharmacies, the Biometric Membership Authentication System that verifies members seeking care, and a cashless system at registration centres.
He noted that these reforms are designed to improve access to quality health care and support Ghana’s goal of achieving Universal Health Care by 2030.
The Northern Regional Operations Manageress, Madam Fauzia Shingu Alhassan, welcomed participants on behalf of the Regional Director.
She stated that the training is part of reforms aimed at redefining the NHIS and making it sustainable.
She added that the digital upgrades represent major changes that will make the Scheme more efficient, accessible, and trustworthy.
The workshop brought together officials of the Ghana Health Service, the Christian Health Association of Ghana, private health providers, and a representative of the Director General of the Ghana Health Service, Mr Gaeten Adangabey.
The Acting Director of Corporate Affairs, Mr Oswald Essuah Mensah, and the Acting Deputy Director of MIS, Mr Orison Aflu, took participants through the design of the digital platforms and how they will be rolled out next year.
Other officials present included the Acting Director of MIS, Mr Vitus Kaleo Bioh, Acting Director of the Claims and Illegal Payments Taskforce, Mr Isaac Gideon Akonde, the Head of Communication, Madam Faustina Dery, the Acting Deputy Director of Marketing, Madam Angela Asiedu, and the Acting Deputy Director of Client and Provider Relations, Madam Hamdiya Yakubu.
By: Jacob Aggrey
