Ghanaian football is in turmoil after failing to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

A 2-1 loss to Niger at Accra Sports Stadium on Monday has intensified the pressure on coach Otto Addo, who faced a barrage of criticism from journalists in the post-match press conference.

To compound the disappointment, Ghana missed a crucial opportunity to salvage a draw. Captain Mohamed Kudus’s penalty was brilliantly saved by Niger goalkeeper Mahamadou Djibo in the 96th minute.

This marks Ghana’s first absence from the AFCON in 20 years, with their last missed tournament being the 2004 edition held in Tunisia. The team endured a dismal qualifying campaign, losing three matches and drawing one to finish bottom of Group F.

Former Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah added insult to injury by guiding Sudan to AFCON qualification. Sudan secured second place in their group after drawing with Angola.

Calls for the resignation of the entire football federation and coach Addo have intensified. Ghana’s recent performances in the AFCON have been underwhelming, with the team exiting the group stage in the past two editions.

South African fans have seized the opportunity to taunt their Ghanaian counterparts on social media. The memory of Ghana’s controversial penalty against Bafana Bafana in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers remains fresh in the minds of South African supporters.

With Bafana Bafana already qualifying for the AFCON with two games to spare, South African fans are relishing the opportunity to mock Ghana’s failure.