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The Black Stars are gearing up for a crucial clash against Chad at the Stade Olympique Maréchal Idriss Déby Itno at 1 PM today, and head coach Otto Addo is optimistic ahead of the game.
Chad have been the whipping boys of Group I so far, failing to grab a single point from six qualifying matches. Les Sao have lost all six games and sit at the bottom of the group.
Ghana, on the other hand, have amassed 15 points from their opening six games – losing the opener before turning their campaign around with five consecutive victories.
This makes the Black Stars heavy favourites going into the tie today, and many are confident Ghana can thump Chad again like they did at the Accra Sports Stadium with five unanswered goals.
But for coach Addo, underrating Chad could be the “biggest mistake” his side could make before the clash. Speaking at the pre-match press conference on Wednesday, he cautioned his players not to play down their opponents.
Addo shared:
So, we have to do our homework. And the worst thing we can do is to underrate Chad. I hear a lot of people talking about Chad as if they're not that good. And yeah, it's an easy win.
Otto Addo
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Ghana sit at the summit of Group I with 15 points and wins against Chad and Mali could all but secure qualification depending on results from other group fixtures.
Otto Addo says Chad game will be tough
With growing optimism of the team’s chances to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, Addo says the job is not done yet.
He warns against premature jubilation, adding that today’s match will be tough. The 50-year-old coach cautioned:
People are already talking about the World Cup, but I think this is the biggest mistake we could do, to underrate a team, to think we have already made it. No, it's hard work. It's going to be very, very hard tomorrow [today]. It's going to be tough.
Black Stars
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Addo believes scoring an early goal will ease the pressure on his boys.