Defeated by Mexico (0-2) last Saturday, the Ghana Black Stars endured a painful loss in the United States of America (0-4) on Tuesday evening during their second FIFA friendly match of the October international break.
Despite these encounters being mere friendlies, Ghana’s expedition in America for the October international break was undeniably a disheartening affair. The Black Stars wrapped up these FIFA days with a disheartening record: two games, two losses, a total of six goals conceded, and zero goals.
Having been handed a harsh lesson in Mexico over the weekend (0-2), the Ghanaians faced another sobering experience at Geodis Park in Nashville, this time against the United States. Chris Hughton’s squad found themselves on the receiving end of a resounding 4-0 defeat.
In what seemed like a one-sided contest, the Ghanaians struggled to make an impact against their American counterparts. The USA took only ten minutes to seize the lead, with Giovanni Reyna, a predatory presence in the box, capitalizing on a defensive lapse to open the scoring (1-0, 10th minute).
Eight minutes later, the United States extended their advantage with a penalty converted by AC Milan’s winger, Pulisic, leaving Nurudeen with no chance. The Black Stars’ situation deteriorated further when Timothy Weah forced an error from Opoku, setting up Balogun for another goal. Just before halftime, Reyna added to the woes by netting a free-kick from inside the box, bringing the score to 4-0 for the United States.
After the Wednesday defeat, during the post-match conference, the head coach of the national team, Chris Hughton issued an apology for the result and reaffirmed his belief in his ability for the role by saying, “If you ask me if I feel like I’m the right person for this job, the answer is yes.”
Ghana’s preparations for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) concluded with a second consecutive defeat, and their inability to find the back of the net raises concerns. With the competition just three months away and FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers on the horizon, there’s a pressing need for improvement.