Black Stars head coach Otto Addo has called for a significant uptick in intensity following Ghana’s humbling 5-1 defeat to Austria, admitting the second-half performance fell well short of the standard required for a team preparing for the World Cup.
Speaking after the heavy loss at the Ernst Happel Stadium, Addo did not hide his frustration with his side’s display after the break.
“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. I expect much, much more against the ball,” he said.
The Black Stars had shown promise in the first half, creating several clear-cut chances that could have shifted momentum. But defensive lapses and a lack of urgency after the interval allowed Austria to run riot.
“At the end, I think we had a good first half, where we had some really, really good situations where we could have scored. Out of three or four situations, we at least should have scored one.”
Addo admitted the scale of the defeat was unfamiliar territory for him with the national team.
“I can’t really remember us losing like this. It was really, really disappointing.”
But he stressed that the result must serve as a wake-up callâparticularly for the younger players in the squad still adapting to top-level international football.
“There are big, big lessons to learn, especially for our young players.”
Ghana will face Germany on Monday in their second friendly of the international window. Addo will demand a response, with intensity and defensive discipline top of the agenda as the Black Stars look to regroup ahead of the World Cup.