Ghana enter their first competitive meeting with England on the back of a workmanlike 1-0 win over Panama that papered over several problems, according to the report. Ranked 73rd on the FIFA list and 39 places below Panama, the Black Stars were nevertheless favourites in that opener but laboured for long periods, with Carlos Queiroz’s tactical tweaks and the team’s determination cited as decisive.
Personnel choices, tactical missteps and off-days for key players emerged as the primary concerns that Queiroz must fix ahead of facing tournament heavyweights England. The two nations have met only once at senior level, a 1-1 friendly at Wembley in March 2011; Tuesday’s game will be their first competitive meeting.
The most pressing selection question centres on captain Jordan Ayew. The report notes Ayew is the squad’s most experienced player and one of only four Ghanaians to appear at three World Cups after 2014 and 2022, and his pedigree and leadership are highlighted by his lineage as the son of Abedi Pele. Against Panama, however, Ayew’s lack of pace and several poor decisions were exposed; one cited sequence saw him dribble into traffic instead of releasing the ball to a teammate.
Dropping Ayew outright would sacrifice leadership, while persisting with him as a lone striker risks exposing his mobility limitations against England’s defence, the report argues. A pragmatic compromise would be to deploy Ayew in an advanced midfield role where he can link play, control space between the lines and create chances for quicker runners. The report suggests a front three that uses Ayew behind Antoine Semenyo and either Brandon Thomas‑Asante or Fatawu to exploit pace on the flanks.
The midfield also needs reinforcement. Thomas Partey is recommended to return to the starting XI after Elisha Owusu was overwhelmed by Panama’s midfield, according to the report. Partey is expected to partner young Caleb Yirenkyi to help counter England’s elite central duo of Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice, who impressed in England’s 4-2 opening victory over Croatia.
