Ghana sit on four points after a 1-0 win over Panama and a 0-0 draw with England in Boston, leaving the Black Stars on the verge of reaching the World Cup round of 32, according to ESPN. The win over Panama was sealed by Caleb Yirenkyi’s 94th-minute goal.
New head coach Carlos Queiroz has imposed a clear identity on the side since his April appointment, less than two months before the tournament, and the team has responded with a disciplined, defensive system that has become its primary strength, according to ESPN.
Ghana are one of only four teams, alongside Mexico, Argentina and Spain, not to concede in their first two World Cup matches. ESPN noted the Black Stars had faced 30 shots across those games and used two different goalkeepers.
Midfielder Kwasi Sibo praised the coach’s instructions after the England match, saying: ‘He told us to be compact, tonight for each other, and that we must know that we’ll suffer, because we’re playing against a great team. Still, we should keep our mentality tough, fight from the first minute to the 90th. We’re listening to him, following his instructions, and we did the job for him,’ ESPN reported.
Left back Gideon Mensah also highlighted the clarity of Queiroz’s message, telling ESPN the team had to be ‘mentally strong, to get behind the ball’ and accept that at times the plan is to sit deep and look to score on the break. Mensah added that the plan was not to stay behind the ball for the whole game but to play to the team’s strengths.
The England match featured several contentious moments: Ezra Konsa’s aerial challenge on Prince Kwabena Adu in the 79th minute was allowed to stand and Jordan Pickford avoided a red card after a collision with Adu, both incidents recounted by ESPN. The report also noted Queiroz’s mixed international record, with earlier spells at Iran and Egypt ending in disappointment, and suggested there has been a cultural adjustment since his arrival.
