Players of the Black Stars before a game
Ghana’s 1-1 draw with Chad in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers has sparked outrage across the country, and the criticisms have reached unexpected quarters.
The Acting Director-General of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), Abraham Amaliba, has blasted the Black Stars, describing their display as “lacklustre, below average, disrespectful and an insult to Ghanaians.”
Speaking on TV3’s New Day on Friday, September 5, Amaliba fumed that the Black Stars squandered an opportunity to seal victory early in Thursday’s qualifier in N’Djamena.
“That match could have been wrapped up in the first 45 minutes by four goals. Instead, what we saw was a performance that disrespected the Ghanaian people,” he said.
Ghana had taken the lead through Jordan Ayew in the first half, but Celestin Ecua’s late deflected strike denied Otto Addo’s men a win and left their qualification campaign on shaky ground.
Black Stars step up preparations for Mali showdown
Amaliba, visibly frustrated, argued that the Black Stars have a worrying trend of underrating so-called weaker opponents.
“Apart from the 1982 squad, any time we play a lowly-placed team, we tend to underrate them and they come at us. But when we meet superior teams and they beat us massively, what is wrong with our Black Stars?” he quizzed.
Looking ahead to Ghana’s clash with Mali at the Accra Sports Stadium on Monday, September 8, 2025, he issued a stern warning to the players.
“They dare not repeat that performance again. It is not their right to play the way they want. If they don’t want to play well, they should leave the Black Stars. My village boys are there, we can put them together and they will play for Ghana,” he added.
The comments underline the rising pressure on the Black Stars, who now risk losing grip on their qualification hopes unless they bounce back immediately.
Watch the interview below:
FKA/AE
Meanwhile, watch the reactions of Ghanaians after Ghana’s 1-1 draw against Chad in 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers
