Ghana coach Otto Addo has expressed confidence in his team's ability to compete against Mali in the upcoming crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers, despite acknowledging Mali as the favorites heading into Thursday's match.
Drawing parallels between the upcoming match against Mali and a previous friendly encounter with Nigeria earlier this year, Addo reflected on the challenges of playing away matches against strong opponents.
In the Nigeria match, Ghana suffered a 2-0 defeat, which highlighted the difficulties of such fixtures.
"I compare this match a little bit to when I took over and we played against Nigeria. We had two matches then and we needed to qualify.
This is going to be a tough match away in Mali, a country that has produced really, really good players like Haidara and Doumbia and so on. We know it’s going to be tough but we also have the quality to compete against them," Addo remarked.
Despite Ghana's disappointing performance in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, where they exited in the group stages, Addo remains optimistic about his team's prospects.
He highlighted Ghana's potential to secure a victory against Mali, citing the talent and determination within the squad.
"Although we didn’t have a good AFCON, I think they are 20 places or so above us in the FIFA Ranking but I think we have the players to compete against them to get the three points out of Mali," Addo concluded confidently.
Ghana currently sits fifth in Group I with three points, following a win against Madagascar and a loss to Comoros.
Mali, on the other hand, is in second place with four points and has shown strong form, highlighted by recent performances against top African teams like Nigeria and Ivory Coast.
Addo acknowledged the strength of the Malian team, noting their high FIFA ranking and recent success. "They have a lot of young talents in their team and in the FIFA Rankings; they are above us so Mali is a great team. It’s difficult for us to beat them but we have to try.
They are one point above us, we have a good team as well but in the FIFA rankings, they are above us so this shows how good and competitive they are," he said.
The upcoming match against Mali presents a crucial opportunity for Ghana to secure valuable points in their quest for World Cup qualification.
Despite the challenge, Addo remains steadfast in his belief in the team's capabilities. The Black Stars will aim to secure a win against Mali before facing the Central African Republic in Kumasi on Monday, June 10.
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