Black Stars head coach Otto Addo has admitted his disappointment following Ghana’s heavy 5-1 defeat to Austria national football team, conceding he never anticipated such a result.
The West Africans were comprehensively outplayed at the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna, as Austria’s intensity and clinical finishing exposed Ghana’s weaknesses in what was meant to be a key preparatory match ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Addo made several notable selections heading into the game, with Lawrence Ati-Zigi starting in goal, while Thomas Partey partnered Kwasi Sibo in midfield.
The attacking trio of Jordan Ayew, Antoine Semenyo and Abdul Fatawu Issahaku were handed the responsibility of troubling the Austrian defence.
Otto Addo Belief despite loss
Despite the eventual scoreline, Addo insisted his side showed promise in the first half and could have taken the lead with better decision-making in front of goal.
“I can’t really remember us losing like this. It was really, really disappointing,” Addo said after the match.
“At the end, I think we had a good first half, where we had some really, really good situations where we could have scored. Out of three or four situations, we at least should have scored one.”
The Ghana coach also questioned some key moments in the game, suggesting his side might have been denied potential penalty decisions while also pointing to lapses in defensive awareness that led to Austria’s opener.
Austria Play
However, Addo did not shy away from criticizing his team’s second-half performance, describing it as far below the expected standard.
“We have to do better. Second half was really, really not good enough at all. Everybody is playing for the World Cup, and we need to play with more intensity,” he added.
“I expect much, much more against the ball. We know what they were doing, and we have to do much better. The second half was really not good.”
What’s next for Ghana
The defeat serves as a significant reality check for Ghana, particularly for some of the younger players in the squad who are still adapting to the demands of top-level international football.
Addo emphasized that the result, while painful, offers important lessons for the team moving forward.
“At the end, surely I think it was a little bit too high if you compare it to the two halves, but there are big, big lessons to learn, especially for our young players,” he concluded.
The Black Stars will now turn their attention to an even tougher test against Germany national football team in their next friendly, where a response will be crucial to restore confidence and momentum.
