2026 World Cup Qualifiers: Otto Addo outlines what Black Stars must do to overcome Mali

Black Stars head coach Otto Addo is confident Ghana can bounce back with a win against Mali in their upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier, but admits his side must be more clinical in front of goal.

The coach’s comments follow Ghana’s disappointing 1-1 draw with Chad on Thursday, a result that prevented the Black Stars from extending their lead in Group I. Despite dominating possession and creating several chances, Ghana failed to convert, leaving Addo frustrated by the lack of efficiency.

“At the end, I can’t say we played excellent [against Chad], or we played well, because the result is everything, I know. If we had scored two or three goals, we would have talked differently, I know. But, again, respect to Chad for the good defending,” Addo told the Ghana FA’s media team.

“I don’t know how many corners we had, we had a lot of corners, we did nothing out of that. We had a lot of shots, attempts on goal, we had a lot of ball possession, and normally we have to win this game. So this is, at the end, surely not good enough, and we have to improve, especially on our execution,” he added.

Despite the setback, Ghana still sits at the top of Group I with 16 points. The Black Stars will next face Mali on Monday, September 8, as they look to strengthen their chances of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.