Ghana Head Coach Otto Addo has pointed to his team’s lack of aggression and cohesion in the first half as the decisive factor in their 2-1 loss to Nigeria in the Unity Cup in London on Wednesday evening.

A slow start saw the Black Stars concede twice before halftime, and despite a spirited second-half display, they fell short of completing a comeback.

“The biggest negative was our lack of aggression and connection in the first half,” Addo admitted.

He added that “Nigeria had a more mature team that could adapt faster, and we struggled with duels, pressing, and defensive structure,”.

Addo, who made several changes at the break, praised his side’s response in the second half, which saw Brandon Thomas-Asante pull one back and the likes of Caleb Yirenkyi show promise.

“The biggest positive was the second-half performance,” he said. “Despite the loss, we saw real talent. I won’t mention names, but some players impressed us, and I’m looking forward to seeing them again.”

Ghana will next face Trinidad and Tobago on Saturday, with Otto Addo expected to continue testing younger players.