Ghana coach Otto Addo defends Abdul Mumin After Angola defeat; blames poor pitch conditions

Black Stars head coach, Otto Addo has come to the defense of center-back Abdul Mumin after Ghana’s narrow 1-0 loss to Angola in their Group F clash of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The defeat came as a blow to the Ghanaian side, especially with the goal occurring deep in extra time during the second half.

The decisive moment came when Abdul Mumin’s clearance attempt fell to Angola’s Felício Milson, who pounced on the opportunity and scored from close range, sealing the victory for his team.

However, Coach Addo was quick to shift focus away from Mumin’s error, explaining that several factors led to the goal, not just the defender’s misplaced clearance.

In his post-match interview, Addo highlighted the poor condition of the pitch at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium as a contributing factor to the mistake.

“The quality is there. Even though we lost, I saw that the quality is there,” he emphasized, acknowledging the team’s overall performance. Addressing Mumin’s role in the late goal, Addo added, “It was an unlucky moment that he couldn’t clear the ball at the end, but we made some mistakes before, so it’s not only him. The grass is also not good, but besides that, Abdul Mumin did very well.”

Coach Otto Addo’s remarks emphasize the need for a broader perspective on the defeat, attributing it not only to individual mistakes but also to the subpar playing surface, which hindered the team’s efforts.

With this defeat behind them, the Black Stars must now look ahead to their next qualifier against Niger, scheduled for Monday, September 9.

Ghana will be keen to bounce back and secure a much-needed victory to boost their chances of qualifying for the AFCON 2025 tournament.