Black Stars head coach Otto Addo has defended his decision to hand Benjamin Asare his debut in Ghana’s dominant victory over Chad in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers on Friday night.
The Hearts of Oak goalkeeper earned his first national team call-up following a string of impressive performances in the ongoing Ghana Premier League season.
Despite his inexperience at the international level, Addo opted to start him ahead of Lawrence Ati-Zigi and Jojo Wollacott.
Addressing the media after the match, Addo explained that Asare’s sharpness in training gave him the edge over his more experienced counterparts.
“We assessed all our goalkeepers and watched several games. It was a close call, but Benjamin stood out in training,” the 49-year-old said.
Asare rewarded his coach’s faith by keeping a clean sheet in his debut appearance.
The Black Stars’ emphatic victory was powered by goals from Antoine Semenyo, Inaki Williams, Jordan Ayew, Mohammed Salisu, and Ernest Nuamah.
The result propels Ghana to the top of Group I, setting the stage for a crucial clash against Madagascar on Monday at the Al Hoceima Grand Stadium in Morocco.
Kickoff is set for 19:00 GMT.
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