Ghana forward Brandon Thomas-Asante has urged the Black Stars to quickly move on from their 2-1 defeat to Croatia, insisting the team’s focus is already on the FIFA World Cup knockout rounds after highlighting the fine margins that decide tournament football.
Although Ghana surrendered second place in Group L following Croatia’s late victory in Philadelphia, the Black Stars had already secured qualification before kickoff and will now face Colombia in the Round of 32, while Croatia take on Portugal.
Reflecting on the defeat, Thomas-Asante pointed to decisive moments rather than the overall performance as the difference between the two sides.
“In tournament football, moments are important,” the striker said after the match. “We’ll improve.”
His assessment mirrored the flow of the contest. Croatia took a first-half lead through Petar Sučić before Ghana fought back after the interval, equalising in the 74th minute through Derrick Luckassen on his international debut. However, Nikola Vlašić restored Croatia’s advantage nine minutes later, heading home from Luka Modrić’s corner to secure a 2-1 victory.
Thomas-Asante also praised the influence of Ghana’s substitutes, believing the changes made by head coach Carlos Queiroz injected fresh energy into the Black Stars as they chased the game.
“The subs made a big impact,” he noted, pointing to the team’s improved second-half display after Croatia had controlled large periods of the opening 45 minutes.
The Coventry City forward, who previously impressed off the bench against Panama, said he remains committed to making a difference whenever called upon.
“I felt I did well against Panama, and hopefully the fans see that I give everything to the team.”
His comments reflected the spirit within the Ghana camp despite the defeat. Rather than dwelling on the result, the Black Stars are focusing on building momentum ahead of their knockout clash with Colombia, which marks Ghana’s first appearance beyond the World Cup group stage since 2010.
For Thomas-Asante, the message was one of belief rather than disappointment. Ghana’s first loss of the tournament may have denied them second place in the group, but with a place in the Round of 32 already secured, the striker believes the Black Stars have shown enough resilience to compete with the world’s best.
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