Ghana found its way into the round of 32 as one of the eight best third-place teams, finishing on four points thanks to a stoppage-time winner against Panama and a stingy defensive performance that led to a goal-less draw against England.<\/p>\n
A late goal against Croatia kept Ghana from finishing second in the group, but it still did enough to move on. Under Carlos Queiroz, who came in late to tidy up a defense that had struggled in the buildup to the World Cup, Ghana was extremely organized. It sat in a low block, defended in numbers and tried to break whenever it had the chance.<\/p>\n
That defensive structure worked. Ghana conceded only three goals in four games. The issue was at the other end, where it only scored two goals of its own.<\/p>\n
So what\u2019s next for the players who led Ghana to the last 32?<\/p>\n
Forward<\/p>\n
The veteran forward, 34, made his debut for Ghana in 2010 and has since appeared in three different World Cups.<\/p>\n
Jordan Ayew captained Ghana and led the line during this tournament as it reached the round of 32. He brought experience, leadership and work rate to a Ghana team that spent long stretches defending deep and looking for moments in transition.<\/p>\n
Ayew is currently a free agent after spending last season with Leicester City, which now plays in EFL League One following relegation.<\/p>\n
Winger<\/p>\n
Antoine Semenyo came into the tournament as Ghana\u2019s star man after earning his move to Manchester City this summer.<\/p>\n
Despite being the biggest name in the squad, Semenyo had a relatively quiet World Cup. Part of that came down to Ghana\u2019s setup, with the team mostly playing in a low block and not attacking much throughout the tournament.<\/p>\n
Still, Semenyo remains one of Ghana\u2019s most important attacking pieces going forward. He currently plays for Manchester City.<\/p>\n
Forward<\/p>\n
I\u00f1aki Williams, the brother of Spain star Nico Williams, is a forward for Ghana and played a key role for the team at the 2022 World Cup.<\/p>\n
This time around, his role was more mixed. Williams started two of Ghana\u2019s fixtures, against England and Croatia, while coming off the bench against Panama and Colombia.<\/p>\n
Even without a starring role, Williams remained an important option for Ghana because of his pace, movement and ability to stretch back lines. He currently plays for Spanish side Athletic Bilbao.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Midfielder<\/p>\n
Caleb Yirenkyi was one of the pivotal players in Ghana\u2019s World Cup campaign.<\/p>\n
The 20-year-old scored the winning goal against Panama in stoppage time in the opening game, a decisive moment that ultimately helped Ghana qualify for the knockout stages. Without that late goal, Ghana likely does not get out of the group.<\/p>\n
Yirenkyi currently plays for Danish Superliga club Nordsj\u00e6lland.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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