Minister for Sports and Recreation Kofi Adams says Ghana’s disappointing results in the 2025 Kirin Cup must be understood in context, insisting that head coach Otto Addo used the tour to test new players and new tactical approaches.
The Black Stars lost 2–0 to Japan and 1–0 to South Korea, ending the Asian friendlies without a win or a goal.
Speaking on the team’s performance, the Minister said Ghana travelled without most of its core players, which shaped the coach’s approach to the two matches.
“Even though we didn’t have our key players in there, most of them… If you come in against a team with all its players and you did not put in your key players, it meant that you went there with two strategies.
He explained that Otto Addo used the games both to compete and to assess new faces in a different football environment.
Even though we lost against Japan 2–0 and South Korea 1–0, everybody will admit that our play against South Korea was a much-improved play with about 60–65% new players.
So we didn’t win, but it wasn’t a bad performance. It gives room for the coach to try new things, and he has seen it.
The Minister added that the defeats will serve as a valuable reference point as Ghana prepares for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, saying Otto Addo now has clearer insight into the team’s weaknesses and strengths.
He’s seen their play, and I believe what is most important now is to quickly get to the drawing board and draw up a strategy.
Should we meet any of these teams in the World Cup, now we know how to go about it.
Ghana will now turn attention to December 5, when the Black Stars will discover their group-stage opponents for the World Cup in USA, Canada and Mexico.
