Ghana coach Otto Addo has acknowledged that his team’s attempt to deploy an aggressive high press simply didn’t come together during their 1-0 loss to South Korea on Tuesday, a result that wrapped up a tough Asian tour marked by back-to-back defeats.
After falling to Japan earlier in the window, the Black Stars hoped to respond with a sharper performance in Seoul. Instead, they found themselves second-best for long stretches, unable to impose their pressing structure or disrupt Korea’s buildup play.
🏁 𝗙𝗨𝗟𝗟 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘 at the Seoul World Cup Stadium. A good test and learning experience in Asia comes to an end. 👊🏾
🇰🇷 South Korea 1️⃣-0️⃣ Ghana 🇬🇭#BlackStars pic.twitter.com/0NPPLABX9D
— 🇬🇭 Black Stars (@GhanaBlackstars) November 18, 2025
Addressing the media after the match, Addo pointed to both tactical and structural challenges within the squad, particularly their struggles to finish chances and to coordinate pressure high up the pitch.
“Except the Brazil game (where South Korea lost 5-0), I think they don’t concede so many goals any more, and they are very compact,” Addo said as he assessed the opposition.
“You can see the change since the last time we met [them in the 2022 World Cup]. I think the main tactical element is that they play with three at the back, always try to overload one side, which makes it sometimes difficult to press if you don’t have the right timing to take the right positions.
Addo keeps faith in depleted Ghana squad ahead of South Korea showdown
“We had problems sometimes, especially in the first half, when to press, who should press, but it’s not too easy for the guys because they haven’t played together for a long time. The timing was not there, and that’s why, especially in the first half, South Korea had more ball possessions and created more chances,” he added.
With the international window now closed, Ghana’s focus shifts to March 2026 World Cup preparations. Addo and his technical team will have several months to reassess the squad structure, refine their pressing schemes, and address the issues that resurfaced on the Asian tour.
