Black Stars head coach Otto Addo says his fielding of debutants in the squad for Ghana's clash with Nigeria has given him some answers about players.

He made these remarks during a post-match interview on May 29, following Ghana's 2-1 loss to Nigeria in the Unity Cup semifinal at the GTech Community Stadium in London.

The former talent coach of Borussia Dortmund fielded debutants like Aaron Essel, Mohammed Fuseini, Christopher Bonsu Baah, and Caleb Yirenkyi, with the latter two impressing with their energetic displays.

He excluded key players such as Arsenal's Thomas Partey, West Ham's Kudus, among other key Ghanaian players, during Ghana's clash with Nigeria's Super Eagles.

While the move was met with mixed reactions, with many questioning his decision, he explained that it was an opportunity to monitor the performance of some new players who have been on their radar for some time now.

Though Ghana lost, some debutants, such as Brandon Thomas-Asante, who stirred Ghana's energy, stretched Nigeria's defence when the Black Stars were trailing 0-2 during the second half.

His pressing paid off later in the 77th minute when his breakthrough came in the 70th minute, when he connected with a low cross from Ebenezer Annan to score his debut goal for the Black Stars.

“We got some answers about players. Some young players did really well. We’re still learning and trying to improve. We’ve gotten a lot of answers from our coaching staff, and we need to keep working,” he said.

Ghana’s 2-1 loss to Nigeria in the 2025 Unity Cup has provided valuable lessons, particularly regarding the team’s recruits.

Ghana would now compete for the third position, while Nigeria will face Jamaica in the final on Saturday, May 31.

Ghana will take on Trinidad and Tobago in the third-place playoff.

Meanwhile, Nigeria, after their narrow victory over their archrivals, set up a fierce showdown against Jamaica.