Ghana coach Otto Addo has singled out poor set-piece defending as a major flaw after the Black Stars’ 2-1 loss to Niger in their final Group F match on Monday at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Reflecting on the defeat, Addo acknowledged that the team’s struggles to defend set pieces had been a recurring issue throughout the 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. We surely need to defend set pieces better,” he said, expressing frustration with the team’s ongoing misfortunes. “It seems everything is going against us.”
Despite the setback, Addo took solace in the performances of debutants, noting their potential for the future. “There are some positives, especially from players who hadn’t played before but did well today,” he added.
Ghana’s AFCON qualifying campaign ended in disappointment, with the team finishing bottom of Group F, collecting just three points and failing to secure a win in six matches. Angola topped the group with 14 points, followed by Sudan (8) and Niger (7), marking a qualification series Ghana will likely want to forget.
