Ghana coach Otto Addo has identified poor set-piece defending as a major factor in the Black Stars' 2-1 defeat to Niger on Monday in their final Group F match at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Reflecting on the loss, Addo acknowledged that the team’s repeated struggles with defending set pieces have proven costly throughout the qualification campaign.
“We started okay but conceded a goal from a set piece. We were aware because the last time we met, they scored from a corner. Surely, we have to defend these set pieces better,” Addo said, expressing frustration with the team's ongoing misfortunes. “It seems everything is going against us.”
Despite the defeat, Addo highlighted some positive aspects, particularly the performances of debutants. “There are some positives, especially from players who hadn’t played before but did well today,” he added, underscoring their potential for the future.
Ghana’s campaign ended in disappointment, as they finished bottom of Group F with just three points, failing to secure a single win from six matches. Angola topped the group with 14 points, followed by Sudan (8) and Niger (7), marking a qualification run that Ghana will want to quickly forget.
