Ghana coach Herbert Addo has refused to push the panic button following a rather slow start to his side's African Nations Championship (CHAN) title ambitions.

The local Black Stars let slip a first half lead by Larbi Koomson as South Africa rallied back to win 2-1, with goals from Zimba Collen Ellex on the hour mark and Shabangu Leonard's winner with six minutes of play remaining in the Group B opener on Saturday.

Herbert Addo admitted Ghana blew a major opportunity after seeing his side lose their opener to the CHAN debutants, South Africa.

“We had all the play in the first half and were in charge really and l was happy with that but football is a strange game and we conceded goals from what were largely our own mistakes and that cost us. Football is football and it can happen like that,” Herbert Addo said in his post-game interview.

Defeat means, Ghana, third on the table, need a win in the second group game against Zimbabwe on Wednesday to enhance their chances of progressing past the group stages.

“No, not at all," Herbert responded when asked about the possibility of not making it past the group stage.

“There is still two football games left still and we can still make it, if we win the upcoming games. We could have done better here and you know the playing field was not suitable for football really, I am not using that as an excuse after-all it was the same for South Africa but we picked up two injuries which are largely because of the poor playing surface. South Africa made the most of the conditions and we did not.”

The local Black Stars were losing finalist in the maiden competition designed by the Confederation of African Football (Caf) for Africa-based players.

Group winners and runners-up qualify for the quarter-finals.