Black Stars Assistant Coach Desmond Ofei has said the team will focus on its strengths towards winning their upcoming matches against Chad and Madagascar.

The games are part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Speaking to ghanafa.org, he said Black Stars had learned prized lessons from their concerning performance during the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers. The 2024 African Games Gold medalist underlined the Otto Addo-led team’s resolve to rectify the situation.

“Yeah, I mean, as we all know, it was very painful moment for us not to qualify for the AFCON this year in Morocco, but we've learned a lot. We've learned a lot from the mistakes on and off the pitch and we feel like we are very hungry to try and rectify the situation. And once again, it's through hard work and through working together and yeah, we are willing to work really hard to rectify those mistakes,” he said.

On Friday, March 21, 2025, Ghana hosts Chad at the Accra Sports Stadium. The team faces Madagascar in Morocco, thereafter, on Monday, March 24.

“First of all, I think we have to look at ourselves because we have enough quality in the squad to make sure that we perform on the day. Yes, of course we want to also make the Ghanaian fans very proud of us, so it's very important that we give a really good performance against Chad at home. They're going to fight and it's going to be like a final. So for us, I think it's very important to make sure that this window is wrapped up very, very positively, and make sure that the Ghanaian fans are very well and very happy with us. Like I said, we have to look at their strengths. Now both teams, Chad and Madagascar, have new coaches, so we don’t know how they're going to set up. But we know the players of course, so it's about us and how we get the boys ready to fight and make sure they give everything on a day,” Offei said.

He urged Ghanaians not to wane in their support.

“No, I think they should come in abundance. We are playing in Accra once again, what I can say from our Technical side is that we're going to give our one hundred percent commitment on the day and with their help and support, I'm sure we will make it a very magical evening for us and start the process on qualifying to the World Cup. We'll do everything in our power to win this,” he added.