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AFCON Qualifiers: Otto Addo looks forward to a positive reaction from players against Niger

Head coach, Otto Addo, is looking forward to a positive reaction from his players in today’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Niger.

This comes after a tough 1-0 loss to Angola at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi, which ended Ghana’s 24-year unbeaten home run.

Addo is confident that his players have put the defeat behind them and are eager to get back on track. He has also addressed the absence of Jerome Opoku and Joseph Painstil, and emphasized the importance of player mentality and being aware of the threat that Niger poses.

With a strong squad and a determined mindset, Ghana is ready to give it their all and get back in contention for a place in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

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Here is everything he had to say:

On Team News

We had some few issues and little injuries, but I think they are mostly OK. Except Jerome, I think he had serious back problems. I think his body could not adapt to the training ground in Kumasi. It was very difficult for him. He had problems in training and now it was so serious that he could not train. He had to go back now to get special treatment from his club. It’s a pity. He didn’t play but got injured.

He will be out for this game. Also, Joseph Painstil, there is some issue with his work permit for the US. For that, he has to go to the US Embassy. The procedure takes some days. We needed his passport when he wanted to come to Morocco. We couldn’t take him there. We were hoping he would finish everything fast at the US Embassy. But, like I said, I think it takes more than three, four, five days. He had to do it because otherwise he couldn’t return to his club in the US. So, both of them will not be available.

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On absence of Jerome Opoku and Joseph Paisntil and its impact on the team

Yes, Joseph came on as a sub, Jerome didn’t play, but the dynamics in that game is totally different from what you hope to see tomorrow. Yes, at the end of the day, anything can happen. I think Joseph had a good game when he came on, created a lot of chances, had also some chances. At the end, with Jerome, he would have been an option. He’s tall, he has a very good foot, good technique, and you never know. If anything happens or what happens, he will be there. It depends on the dynamics of the game, but for me as a coach, I would always like to have any options.

I would like to have a left-footed centre defender, right-footed, and every position should be doubled up. This is, I think, the perfect scenario, but at the moment it’s not like that. This is how it is sometimes and we take it like that. We are happy to have other substitutions on the bench tomorrow, and whoever will play, the bench will be good.

On player mentality after Angola loss

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Everybody was down, so I think the first part was surely mentally. I was down myself after the match, but the next day I had a lot of positive feedback from friends and family, also from some press people, and also the press conference after the game showed me that we didn’t play bad. It was a really, unlucky game, and this positive sign gave me confidence, and this is the confidence I was trying to give to the team in the last days, and I think it worked quite well. The guys looked good at the training, and surely there were some things defensive-wise but also offensive-wise which we had to work on. We tried to implement it in our training as far as we could. Surely not all of them could do everything because of the recovery after the game, but at the end of the day, now I think we are ready for tomorrow.

On the kind of response he expects from the players

This game, we are surely the favourites and I am very, very confident that we will win this game. But in football anything can happen. We saw it last time against Angola, the way the game looked. I never thought we would lose this game, but in football now there is no weak opponent. So we have to be focused, we have to be concentrated, we have to do our job. Then the probability that we win is very, very high.

On the quality of Niger

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Absolutely, absolutely, we observed them, we watched a lot of games that they played and they look strong. They have good players on their team and they play together as a team. Like I said, they had some losses, but it was always very, very close and they also had their chances, so we have to be aware of that. They have good strikers, they defend very well, tactically they are well-educated, so it’s not going to be easy, but I’m sure that if we do our best, if we can create as many chances as we did in the last game against Angola, we will force the luck to come back to us.

On weight of expectations from Ghanaians 

Yeah, I think they’re fully focused. They have experienced this in their life often, more often. It also happens at club level. When I was a player, we played with Dortmund against a fourth-division team and we lost in the cup game, so anything can happen. This is football, but I think that’s also the reason why they’re there where they are. You have to be fast in your head, you have to be confident, even though sometimes you make mistakes or things go wrong. But that’s why they’re professionals, they recover fast from these things. I think everybody’s waiting now for Monday or for tomorrow to come to show a good reaction and to show that we are still there, even though we lost against Angola.

On conceding late in the last two games

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I think we have, let’s say, a bigger squad from 34 players which have a performance level which will always keep us at a certain level. We have to deal with injuries and everything. This shouldn’t be a problem. Surely it’s not easy, but it’s the same for the other teams, so I don’t want to actually go on that. I know it’s always difficult to win. I think the last game showed that there is no easy match. I think we learned, especially from the first two, that anything can happen and everything is possible if you believe and if you keep going. Also, the bench is so important. Players from the bench can decide a game. Surely, I think we talked a lot about Angola. We hopefully learned our lesson. Again, to take out the positive things, that we played really well. We created a lot of chances and it’s now time. We worked also on that, on finishes and how to be a little bit more clinical. It’s time to show it on the pitch now.

On turning the negatives into positives for the team

There was a lot of talking, surely, in the last days, and a lot of negativity, which is normal when you lose. It’s a big, big chance for us tomorrow to win this game and prove negative meanings about players or whatever, or the coach, or whatever. At the end of the day, I’m very, very sure that we will play well. We showed it the last time as well. Now we need the results. This is very important, this is crucial to qualify for the AFCON that we have to win. We’ll put everything in to do that. I’m very, very confident that we will win, but it’s not going to be easy, this is for sure. Like I said, the boys are ready and they’re hungry for tomorrow and they want to show everyone that they’re still there. Tomorrow’s a big chance for us to show it.

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A look at Africa’s chances at FIFA Club World Cup

Mamelodi Sundowns set to extend their good run to the Club World Cup

With the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup soon entering the exciting quarter-finals stage, an increased in global attention will be on the African game, as four strong African contenders prepare to represent the continent at the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup.

The new and expanded version of the global club showpiece will take place in the United States between June 14 and July 13.

Reigning African champions Al Ahly SC, Tunisian giants ES Tunis, Morocco’s Wydad AC and Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa are the four clubs set to compete in the 32-club competition featuring some of the best clubs in world football.

CAFOnline takes a look at how the four representatives might fare at the much-anticipated competition.

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Al Ahly SC – Egypt

The African champions will be making their 10th appearance at FIFA Club World Cup, with an impressive record of three bronze medals from their previous nine showings.

Guided by the 64-year-old Marcel Kohler who has enjoyed great success with the club, bagging two successive TotalEnergies CAF Champions League titles with the Red Devils, a lot will be expected of the club heading to the US firmly carrying the title of African champions.

The Egyptians face a mammoth task, having been drawn in Group A along with CONMEBOL COPA Libertadores champions SE Palmeiras (Brazil), FC Benfica (Portugal) as well as a Lionel Messi’s inspired Inter Miami CF (USA).

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The 12-time African champions will be banking on the experience of their veteran campaigners such as Hussein El Shahat, Mohammed Al Shenawy as well as Mohamed Hany who have been highly instrumental in their most recent silverware collection.

Espérance Sportive de Tunis – Tunisia 

Tunisian giants, Espérance Sportive de Tunis are headed to their fourth FIFA Club World Cup, having appeared at the competition’s 2011, 2018 and 2019 editions.

The Tunisians are yet to make a mark at the global showpiece and will be looking at stamping their authority as one of the best teams from the continent.

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Last season’s TotalEnergies CAF Champions League runners-up are drawn in Group D alongside former European champions Chelsea FC, Brazil’s CR Flamengo as well as Club Leon of Mexico.

Captained by Mohamed Amine Ben Hamida who marshals the defence, the Tunisians will be relying on the trickery and speed of their attack that will be led by the likes of Youcef Belaili and newly signed Elias Mokwana.

Mamelodi Sundowns – South Africa

This year’s edition marks Mamelodi Sundowns’ second FIFA World Cup appearance after their 2026 debut in Japan.

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The South Africans find themselves in a tough Group F alongside German powerhouse Borussia Dortmund, Fluminense FC of Brazil as well as Ulsan HD of Korea.

Affectionately known as the Brazilians for their enterprising style of play, the stage is set for the former African champions to shine under their new coach, Miguel Cardoso.

Key to Sundowns’ success will be their South American signings, Lucas Ribeiro Costa (Brazil) Marcelo Allende (Chile) as well as Lucas Suarez (Argentina) who seemed to have gelled well at the club.

Wydad AC – Morocco

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Proud hosts of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2025 and the FIFA World Cup 2030, Morocco will be fully behind their club Wydad Athletic Club when they make their first FIFA Club World Cup appearance.

Having successfully stamped their authority as one of Africa’s best clubs, the Moroccans will be using the global showpiece to grow their presence at the world stage.

Drawn in a tough Group G along with English champions Manchester City, UAE’s Al Ain FC as well as Italian giants Juventus, the Moroccans have a tough group stage assignment ahead of them.

Currently undergoing a rebuilding phase under former Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena, the FIFA Club World Cup presents an exciting challenge for the club, as they look to rebuild in what looks to be a new era for the former African champions.

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CAF releases draw procedure for TotalEnergies U-20 Africa Cup of Nations Cote D’Ivoire 2025

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has released the draw procedure for the 2025 TotalEnergies U-20 Africa Cup of Nations. 

Ghana will join 12 other countries for the biennial youth tournament, scheduled to take place in Cote D’Ivoire from April 26 to May 18, 2025.

The participating teams include Egypt and Morocco from North Africa, holders Senegal and Sierra Leone from WAFU A, Nigeria, Ghana, and host Cote d’Ivoire from WAFU B, Tanzania and Kenya from CECAFA, South Africa and Zambia from COSAFA, and DR Congo from Central Africa.

The 13 teams will be distributed into three groups: one group of five teams (A) and two groups of four teams (B and C). 

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The top two teams from each group will qualify for the knockout stages, along with the two best third-placed teams.

The ranking of the third-placed teams will be determined after removing the results of the team ranked fifth in Group A. 

The knockout stages will consist of the quarterfinals, semifinals, third-place match, and final.

RANKING:

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Senegal – Winner in 2023

Nigeria – Third place in 2023

Congo – Second in group stage

Egypt – Third in group stage

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Zambia – Fourth in group stage

Note: The remaining teams did not qualify.

Cote d’Ivoire, the host, will occupy position A1.

Senegal, the holder of the title from the 2023 edition, will occupy position C1, while Nigeria, the third-placed team in 2023, will occupy position B1.

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Congo, Egypt, and Zambia, the next best-ranked teams from the 2023 edition, will be in level 2.

DRAW PROCEDURES:

In level 1, Cote d’Ivoire will occupy position A1, Nigeria will occupy position B1, and Senegal will occupy position C1.

Five pots will be used for the draw:

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Pot 1: The teams in level 2 (Congo, Egypt, and Zambia)

Pot 2: The remaining seven teams (Ghana, RD Congo, Morocco, Sierra Leone, Kenya, South Africa, and Tanzania)

Pot 3: Positions A2, B2, and C2

Pot 4: Positions A3, B3, and C3

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Pot 5: Positions A4, B4, and C4

The teams in level 2 will be drawn into positions A2, B2, and C2. The remaining teams will be drawn into positions A3, B3, C3, A4, B4, and C4. The remaining team will automatically occupy position A5.

Ghana last won the title in 2021, defeating Uganda 2-0 in the final in 

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