Ghana’s Nations FC captain, Razak Simpson, has rallied behind Black Galaxies coach, Didi Dramani, following the team’s heartbreaking failure to qualify for the 2025 Championship of African Nations (CHAN).

The Black Galaxies fell 3-1 to Nigeria in the decisive second leg of the CHAN qualifiers in December 2024, extinguishing their hopes of securing a spot in the prestigious tournament, set to be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania from February 1-28, 2025.

Despite the setback, Simpson expressed unwavering support for Dramani, emphasizing that the coach’s approach to the game was solid.

“Everything was fine. We were just unlucky. Our coach Didi Dramani had his tactics and everything right, but luck eluded us,” Simpson said in an interview with Kessben FM, as reported by Sportsblog247.com.

The loss marks Ghana’s first failure to qualify for CHAN since 2020. The team was seeking a second consecutive tournament appearance after making it to the last edition. Ghana has a storied history in CHAN, having reached the final twice — losing to DR Congo in 2009 and suffering a penalty shootout heartbreak against Libya in 2014.

With Nigeria now taking the qualification spot, the Black Galaxies will need to regroup and rebuild for future competitions.

The 2025 CHAN tournament promises to be an exciting affair as East African nations Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania prepare to host the event from February 1-28.