Ghana coach, Otto Addo has emphasised the need for his side to be cautious when they lock horns with Angola in their opener of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
The Black Stars will host the Palancas Negras at the Baba Yara Stadium later today with kick-off scheduled at 16:00GMT.
Speaking to the press, Addo said his opponents have improved over the years, especially under Portuguese tactician Pedro Gonclaves.
The Ghana coach underscored the standout show by the Palancas Negras at the 2023 AFCON and highlighted the need to beware of their key players.
“Like [I] always say, I think I said it last time, I personally think there are no more cheap games in Africa. All the teams have picked up, and Angola are really, really quite impressive. What they did recently years with their Coach Pedro Goncalves, a very good tactician. They led their AFCON group by seven points meanwhile, Algeria and Burkina Faso was also in their group, and they won the COSAFA Cup and I think they went out of the group stage and they won their first group stage ever I think so it’s been their most successful years with this coach and it’s going to be very, very tough,” he stated at the post-match conference on Wednesday.
“I think statistical-wise is that their best years with this coach. They’ve never won an AFCON knockout stage and they did it this year and I think they lost maybe unlucky in the last 16 of the AFCON against Nigeria. They had good ball possession against Nigeria and yeah so I think it will be a tough game like I said,” Otto Addo acknowledged.
“The players are playing in top European leagues. They recruited now a new goalkeeper also from Portuguese League who’s 37 and they got back a player from Botafogo also an experienced player in the defense so I think it will be very, very tough so like I said we studied them also I think I have found solution and it’s now about time for me to also transfer it to the players and I hope we can do well.
The Black Stars will take on Niger in their second Group F game on Monday, September 9 i Berkane.