Ghana head coach Otto Addo has acknowledged that his Black Stars side fell short in their 5–1 defeat to Austria on Friday at Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium.
The loss, in the first of two friendly matches this month, highlighted defensive lapses and a lack of intensity that Addo says must be addressed ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Austria took an early lead when Borussia Dortmund midfielder Marcel Sabitzer converted a penalty in the 12th minute following a handball by Ghana’s Jonas Adjetey.
Michael Gregoritsch and Stefan Posch added two more in the second half, before Jordan Ayew pulled one back for Ghana in the 77th minute.
Substitute Carney Chukwuemeka soon restored Austria’s three-goal advantage, and Nicolas Seiwald sealed the 5–1 victory in stoppage time.
“We have to do better. The second half was really, really not good enough at all. Everybody is playing for the World Cup, and we need to play with more intensity,” he said.
The Black Stars now turn their attention to Germany, with a friendly clash scheduled for Monday, March 30, in Stuttgart, kicking off at 18:45 GMT.
These matches form a crucial part of Ghana’s preparations for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
