‘The pitch was not watered’ – Otto Addo on Ghana’s slow performance against Chad

Coach Otto Addo has blamed the Black Stars’ 1-1 draw against Chad in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers on the abysmal condition of the pitch at the Olympic Stadium.

According to him, his checks revealed that the pitch was not watered before the game, which affected the Ghanaian players’ performance.

He noted that the game’s tempo was slow due to the subpar pitch quality, unlike the ones most Black Stars players are accustomed to at the club level.

Watch arrival of Black Stars players in Accra after draw against Chad

“It was difficult playing on the pitch because when it’s not watered, we can’t play fast, so it’s a disadvantage for us. The boys play in Europe, so when the pitch is right, they can play fast.”

“The pitch is very slow; it made it difficult for us to outplay the defenders,” he said during the post-match press conference.

Otto Addo further indicated that the Black Stars attackers’ poor finishing cost the nation the three maximum points they were hoping for.

“I have to say Chad did well in defending; they didn’t allow many chances. But the two or three chances we got, we had to score the second goal to weaken our opponent.”

“We didn’t use our chances, and in football, if you don’t, sometimes you’re unlucky,” he added.

Gideon Mensah 4, Jordan 8: Check out Black Stars players’ match ratings against Chad

Meanwhile, after seven games played, Ghana lead Group I with 16 points, Madagascar are second with 13 points, and Mali and Comoros are tied with 12 points each.

The Black Stars must win their next game against Mali on Monday, September 8, 2025, to maintain their lead.

Watch Otto Addo‘s remarks below:

SB/JE

Meanwhile, watch the reactions of Ghanaians after Ghana’s 1-1 draw against Chad in 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers