AFCON 2025Q: Kurt Okraku goes beserk on Black Stars players ahead of Sudan clash

President of the Ghana Football Association, Kurt Okraku, has expressed anger at the Black Stars’ performance in the opening games of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

Otto Addo’s side commenced their qualifying campaign with defeat against Angola at the Baba Yara Stadium before drawing 1-1 with Niger in Morocco with the two games coming during the September international break.

The performance over the two games drew several criticisms from Ghanaians with Ghana settling for the third spot in Group F after the two games with just one point from a possible six.

The Black Stars have regrouped ahead of facing Sudan in a doubleheader this month hoping to get their campaign back on track.

Okraku visited the team’s camp on Tuesday, October 8, and urged them to avoid repeating similar mistakes from the games against Angola and Niger.

“The minimum I expect, the minimum Ghana expects is a team of boys or men who will show passion and desire to play for our country. Not when you are dribbled and you will be seen walking on the pitch and the ball is heading towards your net. That is impossible, I told the coach,” he said.

“It’s either you guys decide to die for Ghana…or decide you will not, then you’ll never be selected.

“Once you depart your various places and you come here and put on the shirt, naturally, that should give you the pride to fight, to show passion, to show aggression [and] to show desire to win.”

The Black Stars face Sudan at the Accra Sports Stadium on matchday three on Thursday, October 10, before travelling to Libya for the reverse fixture on October 15.