Former Ghana striker, Augustine Arhinful has expressed his frustration with Otto Addo’s substitutions during Ghana’s 1-1 draw against Niger in their second Group F match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
Ghana, four-time African champions, were leading by a single goal when Addo substituted Majeed Ashimeru for Elisha Owusu, a decision Arhinful found questionable.
In an interview, Arhinful expressed his concerns, stating that Owusu’s introduction had little impact on the game. He suggested that Addo should have waited until the final minutes to make such a defensive change.
“When Ashimeru was substituted, I was watching with my brother, and I said I didn’t understand why Owusu was brought on at that moment. Let’s ask ourselves, what did Owusu contribute when he came on? He could have been brought on with two or three minutes remaining,” Arhinful told Peace FM.
He continued, “At the time Ashimeru was taken off, we were leading by just one goal. Were we trying to protect that lead? We had more possession, but what was the result of that dominance? The goal was to create chances, and although we had some half chances, we were sitting too deep in our half.”
Reflecting on previous performances, Arhinful highlighted the game against Angola and questioned the roles of players like Elisha Owusu and Thomas Partey, saying, “I don’t know what instructions they’re being given, but the team needs to reassess and find a solution.”
Ghana had taken the lead through Alidu Seidu, who scored with an assist from Mohammed Kudus, but Niger equalized thanks to a goal from defender Oumar Sako.
After two games, the Black Stars are in third place with just one point, having previously suffered a 1-0 loss to Angola at the Baba Yara Stadium.
Otto Addo’s team will look for their first victory in October when they face Sudan, led by Kwesi Appiah, in a crucial doubleheader.