Black Stars Head Coach Otto Addo Defends Substitution of Jordan Ayew and Mohammed Kudus in Victory over Mali

By Emmanuel Austin Baah Last updated Sep 9, 2025

Black Stars head coach Otto Addo has come under heavy criticism following his decision to substitute Jordan Ayew and Mohammed Kudus during Ghana’s narrow 1-0 victory over Mali in Accra.

Responding to the concerns, Addo explained that both players were still proving influential but he felt it was the right moment to introduce fresh legs.

“Kudus and Jordan were still having their moments, and whenever they had the ball, they looked capable of creating something. That is why we had to be patient,” he said. “But with about 15 minutes remaining, I decided to make the changes because we had plenty of quality options on the bench. Kamaldeen, Paintsil and Inaki came on and made a good impact.”

The coach further admitted that Ghana could have made better use of their numerical advantage:
“Had we utilised our counter-attacking opportunities more effectively, we could have scored a second goal.”

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Emmanuel Austin Baah

My name is Emmanuel Austin Baah, professionally known as “Okocha”. I am a seasoned Ghanaian journalist, broadcaster and football commentator from Senya Bereku in the Central Region. My work reflects a strong commitment to factual reporting, ethical journalism and the continuous promotion of Ghanaian sports.

I am currently pursuing my studies at Cape Coast Technical University, building on a solid foundation of media practice and communication. I previously served as a sports producer at Radio Gold (90.5) and Montie FM (100.1) in Accra, where I was actively involved in editorial planning, programme production, live commentary and in-depth sports analysis.

Presently, I am a Senior Writer at SportsNetGhana.com, a role in which I produce well-researched features, match reports, athlete profiles and analytical pieces. My work consistently highlights emerging talents, captures key sporting developments and contributes to shaping informed sports discourse in Ghana.

Over the course of my career, I have covered numerous major sporting events both locally and internationally. Among these, the highlight remains my coverage of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, a significant milestone that strengthened my expertise in global football reporting and enhanced my understanding of international sports dynamics.

I am widely recognised for my clarity of analysis, engaging commentary style and strong command of both local and global football trends. Beyond the newsroom, I participate in community initiatives aimed at developing young sports journalists and promoting youth engagement in sports.

For professional engagements, media collaborations or enquiries, please contact me on 0265284330.

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