Conceding five goals against Austria unacceptable – Ex-Black Stars coach Charles Akonnor

The four-time African champions suffered a disappointing 5-1 defeat in Vienna in their first of the two friendly games last Friday, March 27, 2026.

Speaking with Citi Sports, Akonnor, who now serves as the head coach of Kenyan side Gor Mahia acknowledged the importance of friendly matches in team development but admitted that conceding five goals is unacceptable for a side of Ghana’s stature.

“We play friendly matches to assess ourselves, but conceding five goals is just too much for a team like Ghana,” Akonnor said.

He stressed that the players must respond positively in their next outing, noting that while defeats can happen, the manner of the loss against Austria was worrying.

“They will have to put up a good show in the upcoming match. Yes, you can lose 1-0, 2-0, 5 was a little bit on the high, and I’m sure the players themselves taking that in; they are all disappointed,” he added.

Despite the setback, the former Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak coach believes the defeat offers valuable lessons for the team as they continue preparations for the World Cup, emphasizing that results in friendly matches are secondary to performance analysis and improvement.

“To play these matches and look at yourself—what you’ve done well, what you haven’t done well. Even if they had won, it doesn’t mean anything. It means that they will have to look at themselves and do well so that when the D-Day comes, which is playing against Panama, you will be ready,” Akonnor stated.

Ghana will be aiming to bounce back strongly in their next friendly as they fine-tune preparations for the tournament, when they face four-time World Champions Germany at Stuttgart tonight at 18:45 GMT.

The Black Stars are also scheduled to take on Mexico and Wales in May and June before the commencement of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which kicks off on June 11, 2026, where they will face Panama, England and Croatia.

Source:Fiilasports/ghanasoccernet