Ex-Black Stars striker explains how poor form could aid Ghana in World Cup qualifiers

Augustine Ahinful, a former Ghana international, holds the belief that the recent downturn in performance by the Black Stars could actually work in their favor as they approach the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Mali and the Central African Republic.

In the month of March, the senior national team suffered a 2-1

Read full articledefeat against Nigeria and drew 2-2 with Uganda in the first two games since Otto Addo's reappointment as coach.

These results led to criticism being directed towards the newly formed technical team.

However, Ahinful views these setbacks as valuable opportunities for growth, suggesting that losing friendly matches can serve as motivation for the team to improve in future fixtures.

"Losing friendly matches can sometimes be beneficial for the team," explained Ahinful. "It should keep you on your toes and push you to perform well in subsequent matches."

Ahinful called upon Ghanaians to focus on the positives and work together to strengthen the national team.

As Otto Addo prepares to announce his squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers in June, where the Black Stars will face Mali in Bamako on June 6 and host the Central African Republic on June 10 at the Baba Yara Stadium, Ahinful's perspective suggests that the recent struggles could serve as a catalyst for the Black Stars' success in the qualifiers.