Otto Addo reveals impact of Tariq Lamptey and Alidu Seidu's absence on Black Stars defence

Black Stars head coach Otto Addo has shed light on how the absence of Tariq Lamptey and Alidu Seidu has forced him into defensive improvisation, contributing to the struggles exposed in Ghana's 5-1 loss to Austria.

Speaking after the heavy defeat in Vienna, Addo pointed to the injuries that have depleted his options at right-back, leaving him with few specialist choices.

"We have problems at that very position. We used to play some months or years ago with Alidu Seidu, who has a little bit issues with injuries at his club. Also Tariq Lamptey, who has a long-term injury," Addo explained.

With both defenders unavailable, the coach has been forced to deploy natural midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi in an unfamiliar right-back role—a decision that drew scrutiny after the teenager endured a difficult outing against Austria.

"Caleb jumped into that position. We have a lot of midfielders, and our problem is that side," Addo said.

The arrival of Marvin Senaya, who recently committed his international future to Ghana, offers a potential solution. The AJ Auxerre defender is a natural right-back and could provide the specialist cover the Black Stars have been lacking.

"Now we are happy to get Marvin. He is new to the system, so we have to see for the future."

Addo defended Yirenkyi, reminding that the 20-year-old had performed well in World Cup qualifying matches despite being played out of position.

"It's easy now to say he didn't do well there, but he did well in some matches we won and qualified for the World Cup."

With Lamptey's long-term injury and Seidu's ongoing fitness issues, the right-back position remains a concern for Ghana heading into the 2026 World Cup. The integration of Senaya will be closely watched as Addo seeks to find a more permanent solution.