2026 WCQ: Otto Addo blames ‘slow’ pitch for Chad draw

Black Stars head coach Otto Addo has blamed the pitch in N’Djamena for Ghana’s inability to see out victory against Chad in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match played on Thursday (4 September).

Ghana took the lead through captain Jordan Ayew, but a lacklustre second half performance saw Chad pull level at the end through Celestine Ecua.

Victory would have opened a six point lead for the Black Stars at the top of Group I, but the draw kept their lead at 4 points, which was later cut to 3, after Madagascar beat Central African Republic 2-0 in the day’s later game.

“The pitch was very slow for us. It makes it difficult to outplay the defenders,” Addo said after the game.

“They need to put water on it. The pitch was hard and we couldn’t play fast. It was a disadvantage for us,” he said.

Ghana still top Group I with 16 points, with Madagascar in second with 13, while Mali and Comoros both have 12 points apiece a widely open group.

Ghana will next play Mali Mali in Accra on Monday (8 September).