Former Ghana international Augustine Ahinful believes that the Black Stars’ recent poor form might actually benefit the team as they prepare for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Mali and the Central African Republic.

In March, the national team faced a 2-1 defeat to Nigeria and a 2-2 draw with Uganda in Otto Addo’s first two games since his reappointment, drawing criticism toward the newly formed technical team.

Ahinful, however, views these setbacks as valuable learning experiences. “Losing friendly matches is sometimes good for the team,” he explained. “It should put you on your toes and push you to do well in subsequent matches.”

He urged Ghanaians to focus on the positives and work together to strengthen the national team.

As Otto Addo prepares to announce his squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers in June, the Black Stars will face Mali in Bamako on June 6 and host the Central African Republic on June 10 at the Baba Yara Stadium.

With these critical matches approaching, Ahinful’s perspective suggests that recent struggles could serve as a catalyst for the Black Stars’ success in the qualifiers.