The Black Stars of Ghana are shining at the 2026 FIFA World Cup hosted by Mexico, USA, and Canada, under the leadership of Coach Carlos Queiroz, with four points in the bag after a hard-fought late win over Panama and a solid performance that resulted in a draw against the Three Lions of England.
The next game on Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, the last group match, will be against Croatia, who have three points.
Both Ghana and England have four points now, and the English will play Panama, which they are most likely to win.
The pressure is on Ghana to also win at all costs, possibly by scoring many goals to top the group.
England beat Croatia 4-2, so they lead the group with goals. Ghana must try to top the group to avoid meeting Portugal or Colombia, two strong, tested football nations at the round of 32.
This year’s FIFA World Cup has caught the attention of many Ghanaians that it would be disastrous for the Black Stars to be eliminated at round 32, because the Ghana jersey has been rated as the best and most beautiful, and people keep on buying.
Secondly, Ghana has some quality young players who must display for the world to see their stuff, so the Black Stars must play and go high to at least the semi-final stage.
Thirdly, Coach Carlos Queiroz has brought in a new fantastic ‘kakalika’ vibe and energy into the team, and their performance has completely changed. The current players are playing for each other like magic. They call themselves a special group because they can not compare themselves to other squads of previous years, but they have their own character and vibe that they exhibit on the field.
The confidence and support enjoyed by Goalkeeper Benjamin Abbey Asare are overwhelming and stupendous. He is the most reliable in goal, assuring a clean sheet and a magnificent show.
The newly discovered resolute trio in defence, namely Marvin Senaya, Jerome Opoku, and Jonas Adjetey, are delighting to watch, while Gideon Mensah and Thomas Partey are using their experience to hold opponents, but much must be seen in the midfield of Caleb Yirenkyi, Kwesi Sibo, and Brandon Thomas-Asante pushing, Fatau Issahaku, Prince Adu, Inaki Williams, Antoinne Semenyo, and Jordan Ayew to get the goals and positive results,
For Croatia, most of the players are old, and they may say it is experience; however, Ghana must push harder in the game to win by at least three goals. So there must be some tactical changes to get fast and strong players who are hungry for goals.
Their top star, Luka Modric, has decorated so many World Cups, reaching the final in Russia in 2018, then the semi-final in Qatar four years later. Zlatko Dalic’s side will have to recover from a defeat and come out on top.
The players to watch are Pandur, D Kotarski, M Pongracic, D Caleta-Car, K Jakic, M Erlic, N Moro, M Kovacic, N Vlasic, T Fruk, L Sucic, A Kramaric, A Budimir, I Matanovic, and M Pasalic.
Much has not been seen from Ghana’s poster boy, Semenyo, in the two matches played, but he has contributed and won the MVP in the first game, and he is hoping to do better.
The way and manner Ghanaians overtook the stadium in Toronto and Boston were so marvelous, and the same must happen on Saturday. The players need the fans, and it is going to be another football fiesta.
Let’s go again, Ghana, it is possible.
By Sammy Heywood Okine
