Niger’s head coach, Badou Zaki, attributed his team’s stunning 2-1 victory over Ghana in the final match of the AFCON 2025 qualifiers to exploiting the Black Stars' defensive frailties.

Speaking after the match, Zaki revealed that his side approached the game with confidence, especially after analysing Ghana’s performances in recent tournaments.

"From the last AFCON, we knew that the Ghanaian team can score, but they concede goals," he remarked. "And our last match against Sudan gave us the confidence that we could do it."

Niger’s triumph, which has left Ghana at the bottom is a bit surprising considering the mammoth of challenges he said his team encountered.

"Most of my players are amateurs in Niger. For those outside, they travelled eighteen hours before games and often arrived a day before the match," he explained.

He also pointed out how travel constraints affected their preparations, particularly when playing away matches.

"Our flights often took an hour, even from Lomé to Accra. If we had a plane that could make these trips in a shorter time, it would have helped a great deal," Zaki added.

Despite these setbacks, Niger’s victory deepened Ghana’s woes as the Black Stars finished last in Group F.

The result means Ghana failed to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time since 2004, marking a historic low point for the Black Stars.