The senior national team, the Black Stars, will face off with the Vatreni of Croatia at the Philadelphia Stadium in the final Group L fixture of the ongoing FIFA World Cup tomorrow at 9pm local time.
Ghana needs at least a point to solidify its status as an automatic qualifier for the round of 32 to avoid any last-minute calculations.
Currently joint table-toppers with the Three Lions of England on four points apiece, victory will see Ghana through, as will a draw.
A defeat, however, will leave Ghana on tenterhooks, as the compilation of other results will be needed to determine if they advance.
Unlike Ghana, Croatia needs nothing less than three points to guarantee progression and avoid calculations.
With their fate fully in their own hands, it sets up a genuine all-or-nothing clash between the two sides, who have very different stakes in the match.
This decisive clash will be the first time the two sides meet in a competitive match at the senior level.
While it is Ghana’s fifth appearance at the Mundial, it is the seventh showing for the Croats, who have played a total of 32 games since their first appearance at the France 1998 tournament.
On the other hand, Ghana has played a total of 17 games, with a quarterfinal finish at the 2010 edition in South Africa being their best result.
The Black Stars come into this match with less experience compared to their counterparts, who are ahead on all scorecards except for the current Group L table.
In Zlatko Dalic, Croatia has a coach who has been at the helm for the last nine years, holding the record as the longest-serving and most successful manager in the country’s history.
He guided them to a runners-up finish at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, a bronze medal finish at the last edition in Qatar, and a runners-up spot in the 2023 UEFA Nations League.
However, it will be the fifth for his opposite number, Coach Carlos Queiroz.
He reached a historic milestone by managing five consecutive FIFA World Cup tournaments since South Africa 2010 when he led his native Portugal to a Round of 16 showing.
His posture and game plan in the opening two fixtures have prompted many connoisseurs of the game to reassess Ghana’s performance.
As one of the most experienced tacticians in world football, Coach Queiroz is fully aware of the arithmetic involved and many expect him to set up Ghana to employ the same strategy against.
The victory over Panama provided a vital boost for Croatia as they relied on veteran leadership, with Luka Modric playing a pivotal defensive role to celebrate his 200th cap.
While the first half was cagey and lacked offensive firepower, the tactical changes made by head coach Zlatko Dalic and the supportive atmosphere from fans at the stadium in Toronto ultimately made the difference.
The Vatreni’s midfield, in its current state, carries a quality that Ghana’s defensive block will have to absorb for 90 plus minutes, just as they did in the last game.
Many believe that adopting a low block in this match could be a dangerous tactic, although it worked against England.
Instead, a middle block strategy to win the ball and play on the counter may work better for coach Queiroz’s side.
Ahead of the tournament, the form guide told almost similar stories for both teams.
However, the 1-0 win over Panama demonstrated their ability to grind out results when it matters, showcasing the experience of the side under pressure.
Having reached at least the semi-finals in the last three editions of the World Cup, many Croats believe Coach Dalic is well-equipped to do what is necessary tomorrow and guide the team through to the next stage seamlessly.
Ghana has had its fair share of disappointing results heading into the tournament, suffering an embarrassing 5-1 defeat at the hands of Austria, a 2-1 defeat to Germany, and a 2-0 loss to Mexico before settling for a 1-1 draw against Wales.
However, with the arrival of Coach Queiroz, whose first competitive game was against Panama, Ghana’s World Cup tournament form has been built on defensive solidity.
Conceding zero goals across two World Cup games is a remarkable achievement for a side that struggled in pre-tournament friendlies.
That 1-0 win over Panama demonstrated their ability to score when needed, while the goalless draw with England revealed a tactical discipline that coach Queiroz has clearly instilled in the team in a short period.
Ghana goes into tomorrow’s game with momentum and a clean sheet record that Croatia will have to break at all costs if they wish to keep their legacy alive at the Mundial over the last three editions.
For many Ghanaians, who until the win against “Los Canaleros” of Panama in the group opener had little hope in the abilities of the Black Stars to produce a good showing at the tournament, the draw against England last Tuesday has brought renewed hope and energy, with virtually the whole nation now backing the side to triumph over Croatia.
Victory tomorrow is on the cards for many Ghanaian fans who believe that overcoming the 13th-ranked best football team in the world is achievable for the 65th-ranked Black Stars.
For neutrals, the question remains whether Croatia can unlock a side that has kept two clean sheets in the competition so far.
The likes of strikers Prince Adu Kwabena, Inaki Williams, Kamaldeen Sulemana, Ernest Nuamah, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku, Jordan Ayew, and Brandon Thomas-Asante—all of whom have seen action—have failed to score.
This is another aspect of the team’s performance that the Portuguese coach needs to address as the tournament progresses.
Another worrying signal that Ghanaians are waking up to today is the fact that finishing at the top of the Group L table or qualifying as one of the third-best teams will mean staying in the United States for the round of 32 game fixture.
In contrast, a second-place finish will mean the team heading to Toronto for their first knockout game and this scenario would also mean that midfield general Thomas Teye Partey will miss out on the game due to Canadian visa entry issues, which caused him to miss his team’s opening game against Panama.
While some Ghanaians are divided on this issue, others are gradually growing faith in Coach Queiroz to find an antidote, as he did in the first game.
Already, there are calls for the Ghana Football Association to secure coach Queiroz with a long-term contract to allow him the chance to build a stronger national team, regardless of how far he goes in the tournament.
Canadian referee Drew Fischer will be the man in charge of the match and will be assisted on the lines by fellow countrymen Michael Barwegen and Lyes Aefa.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
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