Otto Addo announced his 23-man squad to face Nigeria in the Unity Cup on Monday, May 26.

Mohammed Kudus (West Ham) and Antoine Semenyo (Bournemouth), two of Ghana's most influential forwards, were conspicuously missing from the list.

The former Borussia Dortmund assistant manager included four home-based players in the squad to face the Super Eagles.

Addo says the match is a must-win

Black Stars manager Otto Addo says the match against the Super Eagles at the Unity Cup is more than a friendly.

According to Africasoccer, the 49-year-old revealed that beating Nigeria will make the people of Ghana proud and boost the nation's confidence.

The former Hannover 96 player said his previous loss to the Super Eagles still hurts him to date.

Final prep in motion as we get set for Nigeria tomorrow. ⏳#BlackStars | #UnityCup2025 pic.twitter.com/fuhfjPsyKC

— 🇬🇭 Black Stars (@GhanaBlackstars) May 27, 2025

He said both teams would be seeking to stamp their dominance as the giant of West Africa.

He said:

"I am excited this match is happening. Besides, the last time we played Nigeria, my team lost by 2-1; so I want to beat the Super Eagles.

“Everyone is aware what this match is all about, surely, it’s a friendly game, but it’s not really a friendly game.

"This game presents Ghana an opportunity to restore pride, to fuel the passion of the fans, and to remind the continent that the Black Stars are still a force to reckon with."

Time to rebuild

Otto Addo has stated clearly that the Unity Cup presents an opportunity to build a formidable team.

According to ModernGhana, the former Ghana international revealed that his inclusion of U20 AFCON players and other younger players was to give them a platform to prove their worth.

He stressed that the results of the four-nation tournament would determine who would be called up for their crucial qualifiers against Chad and Mali in September.

He said:

"We are looking beyond individuals and focusing on building a strong team for the future, that is why I have decided to give many of these younger players a chance to play and prove themselves to make them a key part of my team going forward."