Otto Addo pays tribute to Akonnor, Rajevac after World Cup qualification

Interim Black Stars coach Otto Addo led the team to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar at the expense of huge favourites Nigeria.

Ghana drew 0-0 at the Baba Yara Stadium before managing a 1-1 drawn game at the Moshood Abiola Stadium on Tuesday to book a place at the 2022 World Cup.

The Dortmund assistant coach was in February appointed as the new coach of the Black Stars after the sacking of Serbian trainer Milovan Rajevac.

Rajevac who came for a second stint with Ghana failed miserably at the 2021 African Cup of Nations and was immediately shown the exit door to be replaced by Otto Addo one of his assistants.

Akonnor was sacked in Spetember 2021 but before leaving the job he played two games in the 2022 World Cup qualifier group stages winning 1-0 against Ethiopia before losing 1-0 to South Africa in Johannesburg.

The former Ghana captain was sacked after defeat to South Africa and was replaced by Serbian trainer Rajevac for a second stint.

Rajevac oversaw the remaining four matches of the World Cup qualifier group stage winning three, a double over Zimbabwe and a 1-0 win over South Africa and drawing with Ethiopia.

He was shown the exit after Ghana's group stage exit at the 2021 AFCON tournament in Cameroon.

After the match the former Black Stars midfielder addressed the players, technical team in the dressing room and also praised players who missed the two legged matches due to injuries and suspension.

“In the end, it’s a player’s game. In the end, it’s you guys, you did it. It’s not only you, we shouldn’t forget the coaches who made the path to this stage, Milo [Rajevac], Charles Akonnor and the players who couldn’t come today, starting with captain Andre Ayew, who scored a lot of goals helping us to be where we were.

"This for me was just two games but the rest did a lot of work and I want to thank the players who are not here; Baba Rahman, Kamaldeen, and all the players who couldn’t be here because of injury,” he said.

“Not least the team here, you did well. The players not on the bench, the players on the bench supporting us all the way. The staff, I love you all, you did well. Also to those who had to be subbed.

"It was just a systematic change. I’m very happy today, I’m very happy today, very happy to be here. Let’s continue, we have a lot of work to do.”