Five Reasons Why Ghana Failed to Qualify for AFCON 2025 in Morocco

• The Black Stars have failed to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco next year after a draw with Angola
• The former African champions needed a win to keep their qualification hopes alive in Luanda on Friday
• The team's qualification journey has been hampered by several factors including having pitch problems

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Four-time African champions Ghana will not be at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco next year after a disappointing qualifying run.

Angola held the Black Stars in Luanda after a 1-1 draw, ending Ghana's quest to return to the continental showpiece.

Since the beginning of the qualification in September, Ghana's qualifying campaign has been affected by a myriad of factors.

Yen.com.gh looks at the five reasons which cost Ghana a return to the Africa Cup of Nations.

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Pitch problems

Ghana was in a self-destructive mood even before the qualifiers began in September. Weeks before the team hosted Angola, the Baba Yara Sports Stadium was rented for a social event, which affected the playing surface by placing heavy equipment on the pitch. This affected the team, and a last-minute error from Abdul Mumin gave Ghana the win.

Otto Addo's game management

More often the gaffer has been caught in a dilemma with regards to his changes. It is either it comes too early or too late and they barely make any difference. Again in the game against Angola in Luanda, the coach kept a creative player like Ernest Nuamah for long on the bench when Ghana needed a win.

Captaincy crisis

Thomas Parey started the qualifiers as captain but Jordan Ayew ended the run as the leader. After Partey excused himself from the matches in October, Otto Addo confidently handed the armband to Mohammed Kudus, which really backfired.

Ayew led by example in the game against Angola but it was a little too late.

Goalkeeping mistakes

From the onset, Ghana had issues with goalkeeping. There were times when Lawrence Ati Zigi seemed to have seized the position; however, after the defeat to Sudan, it looked like his old ghost came hunting again. Manaf Nurudeen took over in the penultimate game against Sudan and showed some brilliance.

Disrespect for opponents

The Ghana FA boss, Kurt Okraku, felt it was Ghana's right to qualify from a group which had Niger, Sudan and Angola. In one of his rants, he blatantly disrespected Niger, claiming his players from his club are better than the Nigeriens.

Ghana miss out on AFCON qualification

Earlier, Yen.com.gh reported that the Black Stars of Ghana have failed to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in twenty years after a pulsating 1-1 draw with Angola in the penultimate game of Group F in Luanda.

Ghana opened the scoring early in the game after Jordan Ayew scored a fabulous freekick in the 16th minute but the host levelled after the break through a Zini header.

Having started the game the better of the two sides, the Black Stars wasted no time in taking the lead after Ayew fired home from 28 yards.

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Source: YEN.com.gh