Ghana’s head coach, Otto Addo, has lauded the performance of debutant Forson Amankwah following the Black Stars’ 2-1 defeat to Nigeria in an international friendly held in Morocco on Friday.
Despite the setback, Addo expressed admiration for Amankwah’s display, highlighting the young player’s immense potential.
Early goals from Cyriel Dessers and Ademola Lookman put Nigeria in control of the match.
Although Ghana mounted a late comeback, securing a goal through Jordan Ayew’s penalty in the 95th minute, it wasn’t enough to salvage a draw as Nigeria clinched the victory.
In an interview with Ghana Football Communications post-match, Addo specifically praised Amankwah for his impressive debut.
While acknowledging that Amankwah could have capitalized on scoring opportunities with greater self-awareness, Addo emphasized the youngster’s commendable performance, particularly against a formidable Nigerian side.
Addo also commended Amankwah for his defensive contributions, highlighting his promising potential for the future of Ghanaian football.
“He was really, really good. I mean he is a young guy, very good positioning, very firm on the ball and solid on the ball.
If he would be a little bit more self-conscious in certain situations he could have finished himself, I think,” remarked Addo.
“But it’s really, really impressive for a young guy to step up against a strong Nigerian team and be so self-conscious with the ball, good positioning, also working hard defensively is really, really good. I think we have someone we can look up to in the coming years,” he concluded.
Despite the defeat, Addo’s positive assessment of Amankwah’s performance signals hope for Ghana’s future football endeavors, with the debutant likely to play a significant role in the national team’s development.
