Ghana coach Otto Addo said this Wednesday that his team will have to be “brave” and “defend well” against Portugal, expecting a “very balanced game” against the national team next Thursday (4 p.m., TVI and SportTV ).
“We have to be brave in this game, be confident. The players are prepared and concentrated. We have to defend well, that’s for sure,” the coach said at a press conference.
Addo, speaking in the preview of the Group H match, confessed that he felt “honored to be a part” of the Ghana national team, now as a coach, having done so as a player during the 2006 World Cup.
The coach emphasized that Ghana’s intention in this World Cup is ‘match by match’ and that the focus is currently on the game against Portugal. “Our focus is on the game against Portugal. We have to survive the group stage and then nobody knows what will happen. We have one goal, which is to beat Portugal, which will be very difficult. Then we’ll see,” he said.
On the other hand, Addo downplayed the problems surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo and his recent departure from Manchester United, insisting that “it’s not a problem” for Ghana.
“I honestly don’t care, it’s not our problem if these problems can affect Portugal. Everyone wants to win games and this is an important game, a World Cup game, so I don’t think anyone will be affected by anything.” , said.
André Ayew, captain of the African national team, also admitted that Ronaldo’s moment is “no problem” for the Ghanaians, highlighting that the Portuguese team has “great professionals, who play in great teams and are definitely prepared”.
“Portugal is the favorite on paper, but we have to fight against that. We’re going to be up against a team that won the European championship a few years ago, with world-class players, but we’re going to try to make life difficult for them.” In these major tournaments, surprises can happen. We have to be prepared and we will do everything we can to get something out of this game,” predicts the 32-year-old striker.
Ayew, who plays precisely in Qatar, with Al-Sadd, also recalled the meeting between the two teams at the 2014 World Cup, in which he took part, in which Portugal won 2-1, and emphasized that the two teams “have made a change a lot ” since.
“A lot of players from Portugal are still left at that point, but in Ghana only me and my brother are left. [Jordan Ayew]🇧🇷 They are different games. Both teams have evolved a lot since then. Portugal won the European [de 2016], and we have a very good generation. Let’s try to complicate the day for Portugal”, concluded the player, who is participating in the third World Cup after South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014.
Source: DN
