Verbatim sentences from the source article.
Joy Online
… The Black Stars defeated Panama 1-0, drew 0-0 with England and lost 2-1 to Croatia before setting up a Round of 32 meeting with Colombia. …
World Cup 2026: Nine African nations reach knockout stage as Tunisia bows outJoy Online
… Instead, he said the disappointment in the dressing room after the match reflected the squad’s ambition to finish the group campaign on a high and maintain the momentum built from their earlier performances against Panama and England. …
Croatia vs Ghana: We wanted to win, not settle for a draw — Thomas-AsanteJoy Online
… The striker admitted the atmosphere in the Ghana camp immediately after the match was subdued, with players disappointed that they had failed to maintain the momentum built from their dramatic victory over Panama and impressive draw against England. …
We must focus on whoever comes next — Thomas-Asante charge Black StarsJoy Online
… Ghana had already secured passage to the knockout stage before the Croatia encounter after collecting four points from their opening two matches—a dramatic victory over Panama and a hard-fought draw against England. …
Ticket chaos leaves Ghana supporters stranded outside stadiumJoy Online
… The defeat ended Ghana’s unbeaten run in the group stage after the Black Stars opened their campaign with a dramatic 1-0 victory over Panama before battling to a creditable draw against England, results that ultimately secured qualification before the final group fixture. …
Croatia defeat “weird” – Ayew criticises “sloppy” Black StarsJoy Online
… Ghana had already secured qualification to the Round of 32 before facing Croatia after collecting four points from the opening two matches, including a dramatic 1-0 victory over Panama and a hard-fought draw against England. …
Croatia defeat a lesson, not a setback – AyewJoy Online
… Ghana opened their campaign with a 1-0 victory over Panama before holding England to a goalless draw on matchday two. …
World Cup 2026: Ghana to face Colombia in Round of 32 after advancing as best third-placed teamJoy Online
… England had thrashed Panama 6-1 when the teams met at Russia 2018, but this was a closer contest as Thomas Christiansen’s team frustrated England in the first half. …
Bellingham and Kane secure top spot for EnglandJoy Online
… The result, coupled with England’s 2-0 victory over Panama, saw the Three Lions finish top of the group with seven points, Croatia claim second on six, while Ghana ended the group stage on four points. …
2026 World Cup: Ghana lose to Croatia to finish third in Group LJoy Online
… Having stunned tournament favourites England with a disciplined goalless draw after opening their campaign with a dramatic victory over Panama, the Black Stars have wrested control of their own destiny. …
Black Stars go again tonightFootball analyst Kojo Addae-Mensah says coach Carlos Queiroz exceeded expectations at the World Cup by guiding Ghana to the knockout round and drawing with England, but warns that his defensive tactical philosophy will not change and Ghanaians should accept formations like 5-4-1 if they want to retain him.
22 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Football analyst Kojo Addae-Mensah says coach Carlos Queiroz exceeded expectations at the World Cup by guiding Ghana to the knockout round and drawing with England, but warns that his defensive tactical philosophy will not change and Ghanaians should accept formations like 5-4-1 if they want to retain him.
22 July 2026 · Joy Online →
President John Mahama praised the Black Stars' 2026 World Cup performance, where Ghana reached the Round of 32 before losing to Colombia, and said maintaining the current squad and supporting Queiroz can build a stronger team capable of competing at future AFCON and World Cup tournaments.
17 July 2026 · Joy Online →
President John Mahama believes the Black Stars can grow stronger and compete at future tournaments if current players and technical staff are maintained and supported. Mahama praised the team's performance at the 2026 World Cup, where Ghana advanced to the Round of 32 before losing to Colombia.
17 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Sports Minister Kofi Adams has confirmed that Black Stars head coach Carlos Queiroz earns $80,000 per month, contradicting earlier reports of a $100,000 monthly salary. Queiroz was appointed after Otto Addo's dismissal in March and led Ghana to the Round of 32 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers before a knockout-stage loss to Colombia.
15 July 2026 · Daily Guide →
Sports Minister Kofi Adams attributed Ghana's World Cup struggles to opponents who had spent years building stable teams with deep preparation, stronger coordination, and players with significant time playing together at club and national levels.
15 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghana's Sports Minister defended the decision to replace Otto Addo with Carlos Queiroz before the World Cup, arguing the team could not afford to rely on hope after disappointing friendly results. The Minister cited improved performances under Queiroz in subsequent friendlies against Wales, Panama, England, and Croatia as evidence the coaching change had merit.
15 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Sports Minister Kofi Adams said Ghana's performance against England at the World Cup showed the quality of the Black Stars, though the team faced disadvantages including shorter preparation time and less on-field familiarity compared to other tournament nations.
14 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Sports Minister Kofi Adams acknowledged that Ghana lacked the cohesion and understanding needed to compete consistently against the world's best teams at the World Cup, attributing the gap to better-prepared opponents with more established squad familiarity and longer periods of preparation together.
14 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Jordan Henderson underwent surgery on a broken arm sustained during England's 3–2 victory over Mexico but has not been ruled out of the remainder of the World Cup; exploring the possibility of playing in a cast remains under consideration.
10 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Croatia's most successful head coach Zlatko Dalic stepped down after nine years in charge, following the team's loss to Portugal in the 2026 World Cup round of 32. Under Dalic's tenure, Croatia finished runners-up at the 2018 World Cup and third in 2022, and he led the team in 111 matches with 62 wins.
9 July 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
Carlos Queiroz stepped down as Ghana head coach following the Black Stars' first-round knockout loss to Colombia at the World Cup after three months in charge. In a statement, he praised the team's restoration of "respect and credibility" to the Black Stars while acknowledging that success must begin off the pitch.
7 July 2026 · Daily Guide →
The Football Association is considering whether to appeal England defender Jarell Quansah's red card from Sunday's 3-2 World Cup win over Mexico after the United States successfully had striker Folarin Balogun's suspension overturned through Fifa's article 27 clause, which allows the governing body to make decisions without meeting other criteria.
6 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghana lost 1-0 to Colombia in the Round of 32 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with coach Carlos Queiroz citing lack of maturity and experience as the team lacked composure and coordination throughout the match.
6 July 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz has recalled Lawrence Ati-Zigi, Jerome Opoku, Inaki Williams, and Caleb Yirenkyi to the starting line-up for a FIFA World Cup Round of 32 match against Colombia at Kansas City Stadium. The winner advances to face Switzerland in the Round of 16.
4 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Portugal and Croatia meet in the 2026 World Cup Round of 32 in Toronto, a match that could mark the final international tournament appearance for aging superstars Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric. Portugal's performances have been inconsistent while Croatia showed vulnerabilities against England, leaving the match without a clear favourite.
2 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghana's national football team has landed in Kansas City for a decisive 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 clash against Colombia on Friday, July 3, 2026. The match is a must-win for the Black Stars to advance to the Round of 16.
2 July 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
Ghana will play Colombia in the Round of 32 at Kansas City Stadium on July 4 after advancing as one of the tournament's best third-placed teams, while Colombia topped Group K unbeaten with seven points.
30 June 2026 · Daily Guide →
Ghana's Ministry of Sports confirmed that its ticket assistance program expired after the group stage, meaning fans must now buy their own tickets for the knockout round where Ghana faces Colombia. The government had allocated 948, 1,000, and 974 tickets respectively for Ghana's group matches against Panama, England, and Croatia.
30 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Forward Brandon Thomas-Asante said Ghana's squad remains ambitious and hungry after the 2-1 loss to Croatia, expressing determination "to make a name for ourselves as a nation and to keep that legacy going" as the Black Stars advance to face Colombia in the Round of 32.
30 June 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
England midfielder Declan Rice is expected to return to the starting lineup for the last-32 match against DR Congo on Wednesday after being rested against Panama due to a calf injury sustained in the draw with Ghana. England manager Thomas Tuchel faces significant uncertainty at right-back, with Reece James unlikely to return this tournament and Jarell Quansah doubtful for the DR Congo game due to an ankle injury.
28 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghana and eight other African teams—Algeria, DR Congo, Egypt, Cape Verde, Morocco, Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal and South Africa—progressed to the Round of 32 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while Tunisia was eliminated. Ghana finished third in their group with four points and will face Colombia.
28 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Forward Brandon Thomas-Asante rejected suggestions that Ghana approached their final World Cup group match against Croatia without intent to win, saying the squad's disappointment reflected its ambition to finish strongly despite already securing qualification.
28 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Brandon Thomas-Asante urged Ghana to move past their World Cup Group L defeat to Croatia and concentrate on the knockout stage, noting the team had already secured qualification before the match and should view the loss as less damaging than it could have been earlier in the tournament.
28 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghanaian supporters who travelled from Accra to watch the Black Stars play Croatia at the FIFA World Cup in Philadelphia were unable to enter the stadium due to ticket distribution issues. Many fans waited outside the stadium watching on their phones, with some alleging that promised tickets had been diverted to the secondary market.
28 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghana lost to Croatia in their final Group L match of the FIFA World Cup 2026, but had already secured qualification to the Round of 32 after earlier victories. Captain Jordan Ayew described the defeat as "weird" and "sloppy," but said the team remains positive and focused on learning from mistakes for the knockout stage.
28 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Black Stars captain Jordan Ayew said Ghana's defeat to Croatia in their final Group L match at the FIFA World Cup will not dampen the team's confidence as they prepare for the Round of 32, insisting the result has not affected the team's morale or belief.
28 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghana qualified for the Round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite losing 2-1 to Croatia in their final Group L match, finishing third with four points from victories and draws in their opening fixtures. The Black Stars will face Colombia, Group K winners, on July 4, with kick-off at 1:30 a.m. Ghana time.
28 June 2026 · Joy Online →
England beat Panama 2–0 in their second FIFA World Cup 2026 match at New York/New Jersey Stadium, with second-half goals from Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, whose goal was his 11th in World Cup play. The win secures first place in Group L after an earlier stalemate against Ghana.
27 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghana lost 2-1 to Croatia in their final Group L match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with a late Nikola Vlašić header preventing them from finishing in the top two. Despite the defeat, Ghana advanced to the Round of 32 as one of the best third-placed teams, ending the group stage on four points.
27 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghana's Black Stars play Croatia at the Philadelphia Stadium tonight needing victory to secure qualification from Group L as group winners or runners-up, having earned four points from two matches against England and Panama.
27 June 2026 · Joy Online →